Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. cries
Title: I think I better leave right now - chapter 19
Author: Purrfectly679 - e-mail for comments and suggestions. Feedback highly appreciated.
Rating: R, angst, lime, boy on boy action, graphic - be warned. SasuNaru, ItaNaru...
Notes: No spoilers. This is a revised repost. Some of the more 'graphic' content has been cut out - please check my profile for the unedited version.
Previously: Itachi is back - and he's after Naruto!
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Itachi licked his lips in desire as he raked his eyes feverishly over the blonde standing before him. Blue orbs stared up at him in confusion, silently screaming 'Why did you stop?!' The older Uchiha smirked – who would've thought that such innocent blue eyes could possibly be clouded with such intense passion...? It's no wonder that Sasuke felt so deeply for him… He was a wet dream come to life - innocence mixed with raw lust and feistiness…
Such a deadly combination…
Still pinning the shorter boy against the tree trunk, the raven-haired man once again lowered his mouth upon the blonde's neck. His strong legs efficiently trapped Naruto's lower body securely against the tree, as his arms reached up and began to tug at the blonde's shirt. He felt his pulse increase rapidly as his blood pounded furiously around his body… Just a little longer… Just a little while longer…
And everything will be his…
With a flick of his wrist, Itachi ripped the shirt violently off the boy's torso, and gazed hungrily at the expanse of bare skin laid out before him. Naruto's skin glowed with a healthy flush, and apart from the red bite marks upon his neck, his skin was practically flawless… No scars, no blemishes…
Was that the power of the Kyuubi?
Trailing his sharingan eyes slowly downwards, he found himself drinking in the very essence of the blonde with passionate fervour. He swallowed a heavy gasp in his throat as his eyes scanned the taut and smooth stomach of the kitsune. And there it was – the barely visible seal of the demon fox… The swirled patterns woven intricately around the bare navel…
And to think - this one mere seal was all that stood between him and the power of ultimate destruction…
Forcing himself to gaze into the smaller boy's face, he saw that his rough method of clothing removal had seemed to turn the blonde on even more. His blue eyes were clenched shut, his mouth dropped open to form a perfect 'o' shape, and his chest heaved up and down rapidly in succession. The dark-haired man felt his excitement increase swiftly with each gasped breath – the Kyuubi was so close to the surface…
Everything was so close to being perfect…
[[cut scene - check profile for unedited version - if you are uncomfortable with reading sexual torture, then please avoid - it doesn't affect the story much]]
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Sasuke ran on, oblivious to his surroundings. Everything was rushing by, blurred, indistinct... His mind was completely focussed upon the direction that Hinata had pointed out to him – he had to get there in time…
He will get there in time!
The wind smacked furiously against his skin as he travelled – as he leaped furiously from tree to tree. But the stinging sensations didn't even register in his mind – all he knew was that he had to get there soon…
Get there soon or regret it for the rest of his life…
He clenched his fists tightly together as he felt the dull throb of his headache start up again. It seemed as if his body hadn't fully recovered from the alcohol abuse he had endured the night before – and now the strain and exertion caused by his reckless actions only proved to make it worse…
But it didn't matter – nothing mattered apart from Naruto…
Forcing back a grimace, the raven-haired boy urged himself to sprint even faster – pushing his weary muscles to the very limit. His entire body scorched with burning fire, as his limbs struggled unsuccessfully to slow down…
He had never run so fast in his life - and yet he still pushed on…
He had to save Naruto. He will save Naruto.
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[[cut scene]]
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Sasuke ran on, oblivious to the fire scorching through his lungs, as he hopped frantically from branch to branch. His body desperately screamed at him to stop – or at the very least slow down - but the furious pleas were left unanswered and completely ignored. The Uchiha continued to run like a madman – his mind totally set upon reaching the one person that held his heart…
And the one person that held his soul…
He didn't think about the consequences – he didn't consider his rapidly dwindling state of health, nor did he pay heed to the throbbing hangover that was once again threatening to consume him… He totally disregarded the fact that he had completely overexerted his body, nor did he care that in his current condition, he was absolutely no match for his older brother…
Nothing mattered – as long as Naruto was ok…
Sasuke grimaced as harsh winds whipped his ebony hair wildly about, revealing his intense eyes that darkened with an aura of determination. He had to get there soon – otherwise Itachi… Itachi will…
"What if I raped him, pretending to be you? That would crack him wouldn't it? His best friend… His teammate… Making him scream, making him bleed… Violating him in such a shameful way…"
Sasuke swallowed heavily in trepidation before redirecting his thoughts elsewhere. He couldn't risk getting distracted by useless thoughts – he couldn't risk getting angry. Not now – not when Naruto's life was on the line… He had to focus…
He had to save Naruto.
"I don't love you Sasuke, I've never loved you, and I will never love you. Don't you understand?"
The Uchiha's expression contorted ever so slightly with pain. Why was he thinking of such things? So what if Naruto didn't love him? Just because the object of his affections didn't reciprocate his feelings, that didn't mean that he couldn't love him from afar… He didn't even care that his love was unrequited – the fact that he had actually experienced love was enough of a privilege. After all, love was love, and that's all that mattered… Wasn't it?
Love could be so simple sometimes.
But he knew that Naruto loved Hinata… After all those heartfelt confessions and that one stolen kiss, the fact that the blonde's heart belonged to someone else was becoming more and more obvious. It was in his eyes – the love, the hopelessness…
The regret.
Sasuke sighed bitterly, head lowered as he kept running. As long as the blonde was happy, then he could be happy for him… Just as long as he kept smiling…
Just as long as he was safe…
The raven-haired boy grimaced, before clenching his fists defiantly in determination. He'd find Naruto and bring him back, even if it killed him in the process. Losing him to Hinata would be the very last time that it would ever happen – he won't lose him again…
He'd never lose him again…
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Itachi smirked as he ran a slick tongue over Naruto's trembling collarbone, watching in amusement as the blonde's face contorted with agonizing distress. There was just something so fascinating about the bitterness of pain – the feeling was avoided like the plague, and yet it was the only raw emotion powerful enough to truly awaken one's senses…
It was the only sensation powerful enough to confirm one's existence…
"Sasuke… It hurts…" Naruto whimpered pitifully, and the older Uchiha had to fight down an expression of utter glee as he noticed teardrops forming in the blonde's eyes. He could feel the boy's confusion flowing off him in rivulets, most probably wondering why his beloved 'Sasuke' would intentionally hurt him so much…
[[cut scene]]
Itachi smirked maliciously.
First checkmate… Now game over.
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[[cut scene]]
"My Kyuubi…" the Uchiha whispered, as he buried his sharp teeth once again into the blonde's neck. Naruto clenched his eyes shut in pain, trying his best not to flinch.
He could vaguely feel a tongue lapping up the blood that was inevitably flowing from his new bite wound, but the earlier fiery sensations were now replaced by a cold feeling of dread. Sasuke had really hurt him… And whether the Uchiha had meant to or not, this still had to be one of the most painful experiences the blonde had ever suffered in his life…
He clenched his eyes shut as tears began to form in the corner of his eyes. He shouldn't cry – he wouldn't cry! Not in front of Sasuke… Not in front of anybody! He wasn't a child any more – and no matter how much it hurt, he couldn't reveal his weakness! He couldn't reveal his vulnerability…!
He couldn't afford to break down…
"W-What are you do-doing?" the blonde panicked, as he twisted his aching body around to restrain the older man's actions.
Itachi glared at him, his sharingan eyes ablaze with raw anger and lust. "I'm taking what's mine!"
"S-Stop!" Naruto stuttered in desperation, eyes wide and disbelieving, as rough hands began to roam over his inner thighs.
"Stop?" the Uchiha sneered, sending an icy chill down the smaller boy's spine. "Why should I stop? You've had your fun, and now it's my turn!"
Blue eyes widened in shock as the realisation of the situation finally sunk in. Naruto blanched. Sasuke… was going to take him?
"It h-hurts…!" Naruto protested, as callous hands reached the waistband of his pants. He started to resist and push the taller man away, but his efforts were rendered completely futile…
A sudden slap brought Naruto out of his fruitless struggles. Blue eyes widened in shock, before the sharp sting of the attack assaulted his senses. He stared at the raven-haired man in bewilderment. What the hell…? Did Sasuke…?
Did Sasuke just hit him?
"Ungrateful whore!" the Uchiha hissed, as he roughly crushed the smaller boy against him in a vicious embrace. What the hell was going on? Why was Sasuke-
"Ugh…"
The blonde collapsed onto the ground holding his stomach in pain. His chest heaved frantically as he gasped desperately for more air. He felt his eyes water as his pounding head swam around in furious circles.
Sasuke had… Why did Sasuke…?
Another kick to the midsection had the blonde violently coughing up blood, the metallic taste making the smaller boy nauseous. When did Sasuke get so strong…? And why was he…
A pair of taunting Sharingan eyes abruptly met blue, before Naruto even realised that the Uchiha had knelt down to face him at eye level. The blonde shivered visibly as a sticky finger gently traced the outer curve of his cheekbone, staining his smooth skin with a trail of bright red blood. He hitched back an unsteady breath, as his eyes dropped wide open in mute fear and disbelief.
Sasuke was… Sasuke had…
"It would be in your best interest to do as I say…" the words were murmured softly, but the expression gracing the Uchiha's fair features was anything but gentle. Naruto felt his stomach clench uncomfortably as he gazed back into the red eyes… The intense red eyes that overflowed with a strange mixture of loathe desire and severe disgust…
Confusion overwhelmed the smaller by, drowning him in furious chaotic turmoil. This wasn't like Sasuke… This wasn't the same person that had confessed to him, that had kissed him so passionately the night before… This wasn't the same man that had held on to him in desperation, as if he never wanted to let go…
This wasn't the man that he loved…
He was too rough – too violent… Too brutal…
And those eyes… Those crimson sharingan eyes… So cold – filled with immense greed and insatiable desire… So much hate… So much envy…
They weren't the eyes that had promised him eternity… They weren't eyes that proclaimed undying love… They weren't the eyes that he had dreamt about every night for 5 years…
They weren't Sasuke's eyes…
Sasuke would never hurt him…
Naruto visibly tensed as the truth smacked him head on. His eyes widened momentarily, as his heart began to rapidly pick up pace. It finally made sense – this wasn't… He wasn't Sasuke…
He couldn't be Sasuke…
But that means…
Oh god…
He immediately began to struggle, desperately trying to get the taller man off him… He wasn't Sasuke! He couldn't…
He wouldn't let him…!
"What's the matter, my little Kyuubi?" Itachi smirked, red eyes gleaming with amusement, as he pinned down the thrashing boy with seemingly little difficulty.
"You're not Sasuke…!" Naruto yelled, squirming ineffectively under the lean body draped over his, as his mind began to retreat into a state of panic. This wasn't Sasuke…! And this person – whoever the hell he was - he was about to rape him…! Add that to the fact that he just happened to be in the middle of nowhere, and that no one actually knew that he was here…
God, this was his own stupid fault! Just what had possessed him to walk for 8 hours straight, without even thinking of a destination?
And why the fuck was this person so damn strong?
The dark-haired man frowned, as if contemplating the blonde's previous outburst. "And what makes you think I'm not Sasuke?"
But before Naruto could give his answer, a sudden snapping of twigs could be heard, immediately diverting the attention of the older man. Sharingan eyes narrowed and darted sharply around, until they rested upon an upper branch of a nearby tree.
And standing in place was one livid Uchiha Sasuke.
"Because I'm right here."
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Sasuke felt furious anger course violently through his veins, as his mind grasped the finer details of the sick scene displayed before him. There was no doubt about it - Itachi the bastard was alive…! That just couldn't be anyone else! And he was all over his Naruto…
Glancing at the traces of blood nearby, cold fear suddenly gripped him from within. Was he too late? Did Itachi already accomplish what he had intended to do? Did he…
Did he rape Naruto?
"So… My little brother has come back to play…"
Sasuke immediately snapped back to reality at the hateful tone of his brother's voice. He growled, before jumping off the branch to meet his brother face to face. He knew he should've been scared – after all, he was facing the man who had nearly killed him 3 times in the past – and yet somehow the feelings of fear and trepidation had seemed to vanish within his burning rage…
"Get off him!" the younger Uchiha growled, the flames of anger dangerously close to erupting at the surface. His clenched his fists menacingly at his sides – how dare that fucking bastard touch Naruto! How dare he touch what did not belong to him!
"Well, well Sasuke-kun… That's not a very nice way to greet your aniki is it…"
"Shut up!" Sasuke spat vehemently, his eyes flashing red. "I said get the fuck off him!"
"Get the fuck off him? Actually, personally… I'd rather fuck him…"
Sasuke visibly flinched, before furiously advancing upon his brother. "You dare touch him-"
Itachi smirked, before slowly removing his body from atop of the trembling blonde. He stood up coolly and met his smaller brother face to face. "And what, Sasuke-kun?" he mocked, his voice dripping malicious venom. "I've already touched him, and he wasn't exactly complaining…"
"In fact, I think he rather enjoyed it…"
"You fucking bastard…" the younger Uchiha growled dangerously, forcing himself to keep his raging anger under control. It was probably best if he didn't try to take his brother head on – especially since he was at an obvious disadvantage in terms of skill and dwindling state of mind… He just prayed that Hinata, and whatever backup she was bringing, would get here soon…
He spared a small glance to the blonde sprawled hazardously upon the floor as sudden cold fear gripped at his heart – was Naruto ok? Was he hurt? He was still breathing, right? So he had to be ok! But why was he bleeding so much? And his skin – his gorgeously smooth skin – now broken and bruised…
Just what the fuck did Itachi do to him?
"Tut tut, Sasuke-kun…" the older Uchiha scolded, wagging an admonishing finger for emphasis. "Go and wash your mouth out with soap! What would mother say if she heard such filthy language coming from your mouth?"
Sasuke glared in irritation, although he knew that the more distractions the better. It just meant more time for Hinata to arrive… "What do you care? You fucking killed her!"
"I always care for my little brother-"
"Bullshit! Now tell me what the fuck you're doing here!"
Tense silence descended upon the two Uchiha's – one glaring in furious anger while the other just stood looking indifferent and mildly bored.
"Just what the hell do you want?" Sasuke repeated with a scowl, trying his best to buy more precious time. The fact that Itachi was looking so uninterested was really starting to irk him… Acting like this confrontation meant nothing to him… Was he really that confident of his own strength?
Or was he just no longer considered a valid threat by his older brother?
"You know what I want…" Itachi murmured softly, as his crimson eyes glinted with dangerous possessiveness. Sasuke shivered in trepidation, as his insides froze over from the iciness of the sharingan glare. The frightening thing was that he did know what the older Uchiha wanted… The bastard wanted Naruto…
But there was no way that he'd give him up that easily!
"Leave him out of it!" Sasuke retorted angrily, his fists flaying violently by his sides. "This is between you and me!" All thoughts of buying important time were instantly erased from his memory, as the subject of his loved one was finally brought up.
Itachi didn't have the right to touch Naruto!
"Getting jealous are we?" Itachi sneered, as he slowly advanced towards his younger brother. "Jealous that your little whore stole all your big brother's attention?"
"He's not a wh-!"
"This isn't about you… It has never been about you…!" the older Uchiha mocked, cutting off the furious protests. "To tell you the truth, Sasuke-kun…You were never really that important … You're too weak to be even considered a priority…"
Sasuke flinched, as the painful words cut through him like jagged shards of glass. It was true to a certain extent - throughout his entire life, he had always, in one way or another, strived desperately to attain his brother's attention and respect… All the training he had endured depended solely upon the motivation to beat his brother… And even now, he wanted to prove to the older Uchiha that he wasn't worthless – that he wasn't weak…
And yet Itachi refused to even acknowledge him…?
The dark-haired man halted 2 steps away from the seething boy.
"Go home Sasuke," he murmured softly, his eyes cold and unforgiving. "You're not worth my time… Nor are you any longer worthy of the title of an avenger…"
Itachi smirked cruelly before continuing his verbal assault.
"After all – what use is there of an avenger who can't even eliminate his target properly?"
"I killed you, you fucking bastard!" Sasuke screamed in fury, his hair whipping viciously against his face. His futile efforts to keep his anger suppressed were lost effortlessly into the wild haze of furious flames. "I checked your pulse! Your fucking heart stopped! You DIED damn it!"
The older Uchiha merely smirked. "My, my Sasuke-kun… And I thought you were better than that…" Itachi paused thoughtfully, before speaking in a dangerously cold tone of voice. "So let me give you a small piece of advice, little brother – Don't. Trust. Anything. Don't trust what you see, don't trust what you feel…"
Sasuke responded with an icy glare. Just what the hell was his stupid brother going on about now?
"And never underestimate the power of a Uchiha's genjutsu."
Sasuke growled. The Uchihas' were well-renowned for their notorious genjutsu talents, especially when combined with the hypnotic powers of the sharingan eye… But still - it must've been powerful genjutsu for him to be unable to detect it!
At least now it all made sense… That's how Itachi survived! Everything – everything had been fake…! The fighting, the killing – was it all just plain deception? In fact, did he even manage to hurt his brother? Or was that all an illusion too?
"And now, if you excuse me – I have a little blonde begging for a fuck…"
Sasuke's sharingan flared to life. He wouldn't let him touch Naruto again!
The final battle had begun.
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Naruto curled up into a tight ball, oblivious to the explosive confrontation of the two brothers before him, as the world spun nauseously around in his head in dizzy circles. His body was still screaming from the violent attacks forced upon him, as well as the brutal assault that he had endured from the older man…
But at least Sasuke had finally come…
He hated being weak – he hated needing help… But Sasuke would save him… Sasuke would help him…
Sasuke wouldn't leave him…
So he was right about that imitation man – it wasn't Sasuke… He knew it! He knew it all along! Sasuke would never hurt him like that…! He would never be so cruel… Never be so sadistic…
The blonde continued to tremble, mildly aware of shouts and other loud noises raging nearby, but chose to ignore the harsh reality.
So who was that man? And why did he look so much like Sasuke…? And how did he get the sharingan…? It was a well-known fact that only the descendents of the Uchiha clan received the powerful bloodline limit of the crimson eyes… And since Sasuke was the last of his clan, it couldn't possibly be a Uch-…
Wait… But that man… He looked a little too much like Sasuke… And the possession of the sharingan…
Naruto gasped. Could he be… Could he be Sasuke's brother?! As in the one that Sasuke sought revenge from…? As in the very reason that Sasuke had left all those years ago? But, but… Wasn't he supposed to be dead…? Sasuke killed him!! Killed him over a year ago… He was dead! Dead! DEAD!
But if it was Itachi… Oh god… He had let the older man touch him… Violate him… And his body had reacted so excitedly – so responsively…
No one – no one but Sasuke had ever touched him like that… Touched him so deeply – so intimately…
But now… Now…
The blonde began to tremble violently as hot tears trailed down his cheeks. He knew that he should be glad that he hadn't been raped, but the fact that this man had taken advantage of him was too painful to even comprehend. He silently berated himself for being so damn stupid – the warning bells should've gone off immediately at the first signs of weirdness…
He should've known that Sasuke would never hurt him!
Suddenly, a loud impact brought the blonde out of his anguished musings. Slightly startled, he shifted his position upon the ground to glance at the source of the violent crash. Ignoring the burning pain that raced up his spine at the abrupt movement, the blonde's eyes widened dramatically as the sight in front of him filled his blurry vision…
Sasuke laid bloody and bruised, his broken body sprawled hazardously against the bottom trunk of the oak tree. His clothes were torn, his bottom lip busted, and his right arm was twisted in an excruciatingly odd angle…
Naruto only just managed to see the bright red sharingan fade to a lifeless black, before his already broken heart shattered for the millionth time…
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Itachi smirked in glee as he took in the shocked expression that sketched visibly across the blonde's face. Widened blue eyes appeared to slowly roam over the body of the younger Uchiha, as confusion, disbelief and mortification simultaneously overpowered all common sense…
Itachi had to fight back a laugh.
It was all too easy… Sasuke had barely even put up a fight! The younger Uchiha had definitely weakened since their battle last year… And even if he was reluctant to admit it, his little brother had actually injured him quite severely during their last confrontation… For some strange reason, and reasons that Itachi didn't even understand now, after explicitly describing his 'objective' to break the little blonde kitsune, Sasuke had seemed to gain an indescribable amount of power…
What was that old saying? Something about power and defending the one's you loved…?
Pah – what a load of bullocks…
Love was nothing compared to the indescribable powers of hate.
But whatever the reason, the fact that he had to actually use his illusionary technique against his brother just proved what a worthy adversary Sasuke really was… Very few people ever got the chance to experience his genjutsu skills - which were usually saved and depended upon as a last resort… Fortunately, it did manage to provide a much needed distraction to allow him to escape… After which he had to spend a whole 6 months in recovery…
But then again, who could've guessed that the younger Uchiha would actually fall for the illusion so easily? It was actually quite fortunate for him that the Sasuke's chakra supply wasn't as abundant as his… It meant that he could sustain his sharingan for a much longer period of time compared to his little brother…
In other words, he was definitely lucky that Sasuke's sharingan had faded just as he had activated his genjutsu… Otherwise, who knows what would've happened to him?
He could very possibly be dead.
Gazing at the blonde again in amusement, Itachi had to stifle a chuckle as the usually flushed and expressive face turned deathly pale in front of his eyes.
And who would've thought that his little brother's irritating presence could actually help and assist his cause?! He should've thought of this sooner…! To kill the blonde's most loved one right in front of his very eyes… Surely that would break him!
'And this is all thanks to you Sasuke-kun!' Itachi thought maliciously. 'Maybe you do have some use for your pathetic life after all!'
Stalking forward purposely, the older Uchiha grabbed his younger brother viciously by the neck, then roughly hauled the limp body up onto his feet.
"Pathetic…" he drawled, black hair flaying wildly as he brutally shook the unconscious boy. "You're not even worthy of our family name…" He spared a glance at the unmoving blonde, before roughly slamming his brother's body back into the crumbling ground.
Naruto, if possible, managed to turn even paler.
Itachi sneered in satisfaction, before he violently crushed his foot against Sasuke's chest. "You should be honoured Sasuke…" he spat, his sharingan eyes cold and cruel, as he grinded his heel into the younger boy's torso. "Cos I'm going to do us all a favour and end your futile existence…"
The older Uchiha silently congratulated himself as he watched the blonde begin to tremble violently. His heart pumped furiously at the sight – sending his blood roaring loudly in his ears - as the addictive blasts of excitement increased in torrents. It was so close – so near… He could feel it… He could feel the intoxicating rush start to overwhelm him… So much power… The power of the Kyuubi…
The power of the Kyuubi was near…
Itachi smirked, his expression twisted into one of vile vindictiveness, as he raised his arms to deliver the final blow. Sasuke will die – but he will not die a worthless death! He will help unleash the terrifying power of the Kyuubi – he will help change the world!
The Uchiha name will go down in history!
Itachi grinned in elation as the heady rush of triumph began to overwhelm him. But as he began to initiate the hand seals for his finishing jutsu, a sudden blur of movement caught his eye.
What the - ? What was that? So fast… So-
Eyes widened slightly in mild shock, Itachi looked down… Sasuke… His brother -
…His brother was gone!
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Itachi twisted his neck around in disbelief, to rest his eyes upon the spot that Naruto had collapsed under.
The blonde was gone too!
Anger and adrenaline simultaneously rushed through his veins. Where was that fucking idiot? Where did he run off to? And how dare he interrupt his little interaction with his younger brother?
Just who the fuck did he think he is?!
"Don't you ever dare touch Sasuke again."
Itachi froze, before spinning around with as much dignity as he could muster, to face the source of the cold voice that had taken him completely by surprise. The voice was filled with so much hate… So much contempt…
Shocked sharingan eyes met hard blue. What the hell was going on? Was this Naruto? What the hell was happening?
And how the hell did the blonde manage to move so fast?
"Where's Sasuke?" Itachi growled, thankful that his confident tone of voice effectively concealed the confusion and uneasiness residing deep inside. He wasn't used to being taken by surprise – and this was definitely unanticipated…
And the hate… Where was it all coming from? He had never before sensed anything so intense in his life… Could all this hate really be stemming from one person?
Or was this just the doing of the Kyuubi?
"Fuck you." Naruto's voice was dangerously soft, but his eyes were blank with severe hatred. It was as if he were a completely different person – long gone were the blue eyes that expressed so much emotion, the eyes that conveyed the depths of his soul…
Instead, stood in his place was a cold and callous man.
Itachi involuntarily shivered. Just what the hell was going on now? Where was the pathetic blonde that wouldn't stop trembling? Where was the boy that had almost surrendered everything to him, without even attempting to put up a fight?
"Run away," the soft voice continued, intense seriousness laced within the icy words. "Run away now, before I hurt you…"
Uneasiness immediately developed into furious anger within the dark-haired man. How dare this boy! No one had ever dared to treat him with such disrespect before! Run away?! Why the fuck would he run away?! He was Itachi for god's sake! The fucking genius ninja since the age of 4 – the same man who had single-handedly terminated the whole of the prestigious Uchiha clan in one night…
And. Itachi. Does. Not. Run. Away!
"Hurt me?" he snorted, his fists clenched tightly by his sides. "Don't make me lau-"
But before he could finish his sentence, a fist was planted firmly in between his eyes. Itachi crashed roughly onto the ground, red eyes widening in pure shock as blood began to drip profusely from his nose… What the - ? How did - ?
How did he move so fast?! And why the hell couldn't he detect any of it?
Could that boy possibly move faster than his sharingan?!
"Leave now, or I will kill you."
Itachi glared menacingly as he stumbled unsteadily onto his feet. Raging anger immediately replaced his earlier uncertainty. Kill him? Who the hell did the cocky blonde cunt think he was? No one could kill him! Not even Sasuke! And now the fucking little blonde thought that he was all powerful, just because he had gotten one initial hit in…?
He was taken by surprise, that's all! It was nothing but a lucky strike!
"Kill me?" Itachi sneered, wiping his nose upon the sleeve of his cloak, before taking up a fighting stance. "I'll kill you and then eliminate your whole fucking village before you can-"
The older Uchiha found himself blocking his face as a kick was unexpectedly directed towards his head. Almost immediately after, he felt a sudden painful impact against his lower back, which forced him to collapse onto his knees. Black eyes widened in shock – did the blonde just…? How did he - ? But how did he - ?
And why the fuck couldn't he perceive any of it?!
"I don't want to hurt you."
"Fuck you!" Itachi yelled, as the pain from the two impacts began to overwhelm his senses. Then again, the physical pain was nothing compared to his wounded pride… He just couldn't believe it… This had never ever happened to him before! Never in his whole life had anyone managed to hit him twice in succession without so much as suffering a single blow…!
"I do not have time for you, leave now or-"
"I'm not fucking leaving without the Kyuubi!" Itachi hissed, as he once again arranged himself into a defensive posture, determined to keep his sharingan eyes locked vigilantly upon his target. There was no way that the stupid blonde would get a third hit in!!
Naruto merely looked at him coldly, his eyes terrifyingly blank, before crossing his arms in a demonstration of mock fascination. "Oh? And just how are you going to get the 'Kyuubi?'"
"Easy!" the Uchiha spat, his eyes gleaming with a wild look of possessed frenzy. "It's close enough already – I can feel it! I can feel the Kyuubi fighting to get free! So much power… So much hatred…! And it will all be mine!"
"Can you feel it now?" the voice was soft, and Itachi barely managed to gasp in surprise before he realised that the voice had originated behind him. He immediately jumped onto an upper branch of a nearby tree, before redirecting his glare at the impassive blonde with a mixture of fear and frustration.
Just why couldn't he see him move?!
"I said, can you feel it now?" Naruto repeated, his hauntingly vacant eyes cutting into the older Uchiha like newly sharpened steel.
Itachi kept a scowl firmly fixed upon his features before considering the blonde's question. The truth was, at that exact moment in time, he could barely sense the presence of the fox… It was as if the fiery sensations he had experienced earlier were nothing but a figment of his imagination… Did the boy somehow suppress the demon? Did he manage to control it…?
Impossible! Itachi shook his head roughly to clear his wavering thoughts. A mere boy could never control the destructive powers of the Kyuubi!!
And he was stupid for even considering it…!
"I bet you can feel it now…"
Itachi's eyes widened dramatically as he felt a sudden influx of indescribable power flare up within a close proximity to him. Standing in Naruto's place was some sort of swirling vortex… A purple swirling vortex…
A vortex of chakra…?!
But how?! Where?! Where did he get so much chakra from?! And how could one boy contain such immense power?!
Wait… Purple!? Could it be?
Could the boy have somehow broken the ancient laws of demon-human hybrids? Was it possible for someone to have merged completely with a demon?
Feeling an overwhelming amount of jealously surge within, Itachi launched himself violently towards the blonde. How dare he! How dare he ruin everything? The Kyuubi was meant to be his! HIS! It wasn't meant to belong to some fucking prissy little fag! He was supposed to control it! He was supposed to master it! It was HIS damn it! It fucking belonged to him!
"DIE!" he screamed, letting his rage and anger take over, before his fist flew viciously towards the unmoving blonde.
The last thing he noticed before the world went black was that Naruto's eyes were no longer blue…
Instead, they flared a deep hue of purple.
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Naruto had never felt so powerful before in his whole entire life. It was a rush – the power, the intensity – it was all addictive, intoxicating… He felt in control – free from all the fear and worry that the harshness of reality provided…
Nothing mattered anymore – nothing mattered but to kill this son of a bitch who dared to touch his Sasuke. His morals – his reluctance to kill – all his principles were tossed carelessly into the wind as he advanced slowly towards his opponent… Like a hunter pursuing his prey…
He was going to murder for the first time in his life.
And he was going to enjoy it.
He glared spitefully at the broken body sprawled out before his feet. He knew he shouldn't be wasting his time here – Sasuke needed medical attention, and the sooner he received it, the better and faster he'd recover. But the power surging through him was addictive, and highly persuasive…
He could have fun hurting this bastard.
He swung his foot back before reconnecting it against Itachi's ribs with a loud crack. Broken ribs, and possibly a pierced lung. Naruto smirked, before crushing his foot against the Uchiha's chest.
"I guess I'll be doing us all a favour by ending your pathetic life…" he mocked, as he ground his heel roughly into the older man's torso.
He was strong. He was in control.
So caught up in the heady rush of power, Naruto didn't perceive the trembling dark-haired woman that had crept up silently behind him. If he had, he would've realised that it was the same person that he had sensed before – and that he was wrong to have dismissed her presence off as a mere squirrel…
He didn't see the gleaming black object that was grasped within her shaking hands, nor did he discern the grim look of determination that flashed across her brown eyes…
He didn't notice any of these things.
But he did hear the 5 shots that were fired successively from the black object – 5 shots that sounded like huge explosions to his ears…
A 6th shot was fired only seconds later, before the distinctive sound of a limp body hitting ground could be heard.
Face completely drained of colour, and eyes reverted to their normal blue, Naruto turned around slowly to face his assailant. His vision was greeted by a woman's body sprawled lifelessly upon the ground, her white hands clenched tightly around a black gun protruding from her mouth, and blood – so much blood – seeping profusely from the back of her head…
Then glancing up to face his saviour, Naruto felt the life drain out of body. Standing in front of him like a barrier, with his arms stretched out wide, was one Uchiha Sasuke…
With 5 bullets imbedded within his chest…
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Sasuke vaguely felt himself fall before he was captured within a pair of strong and warm arms. His vision was starting to become fuzzy – but he didn't need to see his embracer to know that it was Naruto…
He always smelled so good…
"I'm… Sorry…" he mumbled, before he felt himself being lowered gently onto the ground. If only he had gotten here earlier… Then maybe Naruto wouldn't have suffered so much…
"Shh... It's ok… Everything's going to be ok… Stay here, I'm going to get some help-"
"No…! Don't… Leave me!" Sasuke half-yelled, then wished he hadn't, as intense pain immediately assaulted him from all sides. "I mean… Hinata… She's… coming…"
"Ok…" the blonde whispered, sounding as if he were on the verge of tears.
Straining to open his eyes, the raven-haired boy gazed adoringly into the face of the only person that he had ever loved.
"Why… you crying?" he frowned softly, before reaching up a trembling hand to brush the silver tears away. "Don't cry…"
"Sasuke, I lo-"
"Shh…" the Uchiha placed a finger upon Naruto's lips to halt his speech. He knew what he was going to say – he was going to say that he loved Hinata. But just because he knew that the blonde's heart belonged to another, it didn't mean that it wouldn't hurt to hear it come from his lips…
But it was ok… He had known all along anyway… Just as long as he was happy…
Just as long as he was safe…
"I don't… Have much time… Left…"
"No!" Naruto sobbed, his tears streaming freely down his face. "Don't… Don't say that! Don't you ever say that!"
Sasuke only smiled, before letting his eyes flutter close in exhaustion, as his arm dropped heavily by his side. Too much effort was now required to keep his vision focused, and he still had so much to say… But it was ok - he was more than content with the fact that the last thing he had looked at – the image forever residing within his soul – were into the beautiful blue eyes of his one true love…
God he was beautiful…
"Don't cry… for me…" he whispered gently, before violently coughing up a mouthful of metallic liquid. He guessed it was his blood… He could smell it, he could feel it dripping down his skin… It was everywhere - on his sides… Soaking his back…
How he wished he was within Naruto's arms again…
The blonde continued to cry.
"Naruto…" he demanded weakly. "Listen to me…Can you… do me one… thing? Just one… thing…"
A whispered 'yes' was the only response he got.
"Become Hokage… Fulfil… your dream…" he gasped desperately for more oxygen before continuing his plea. "Promise… me…"
How he would love to see Naruto succeed… To prove everyone wrong – to show all the villagers that he wasn't just a worthless demon… That everyone had hopes – everyone had dreams - no matter what their background… No matter their circumstance…
"Promise… me... Naruto…"
"I promise… And you'll be there with me, right?" Naruto whispered in between sobs, as he grabbed desperately onto the raven-haired boy's hand. "We'll do it together, just like in the old days… Me and Sasuke! The unstoppable duo! And I'll make you vice-Hokage, and we'll argue about who does the paperwork…"
Sasuke chuckled weakly, before letting a small smile linger upon his features. "You know I… love you… don't you…?"
"Sasuke, I -"
"Please," the Uchiha interrupted, as he gasped desperately for his words. "Let me… continue…"
Sasuke felt his body start to relax as the intense feelings of pain began to subside. Everything was becoming so numb, and yet it was so enticing… To just fall into nothingness… It was all so alluring…
But before he did that, he had just one more thing to tell Naruto…
"Remember that…day…? After… the engagement… party…" each word was becoming increasingly harder and harder to pronounce, and so Sasuke continued speaking without waiting for a confirmation. "You passed… out… and I tucked… you… into bed…"
"That's when… I realised… that I would… always love you…"
Sasuke smiled softly to himself. He could never forget that night – the night that he had ultimately accepted his feelings towards the blonde… The night he stopped running…
The night he had finally stopped denying…
"I… watched you… sleeping… for the whole… night… and I just… couldn't believe… how beau -… how beautiful… you were…"
Sasuke's voice became weaker and weaker.
"And when the… sun rose… and reflected… off your face… I didn't…know where… heaven… started… and you…ended…"
Naruto cried even harder.
"Just… remember… I'll always…love you… and I'll… continue… to watch you…"
Sasuke heard some desperate sounding pleas from the blonde, before everything became misty and blurred. He vaguely perceived a few footsteps nearby – was that Hinata? And that voice… Was that Kakashi? - before his grip upon Naruto's hand weakened.
He was running out of time.
"And remember… to… keep… your… promise…"
Then everything faded to black.
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End chapter 19
DON'T HURT ME....!!! IT DOESN'T EVEN SAY WHETHER SASUKE DIED OR NOT!! ducks from onslaught of sharp pointy objects
But I have something to confess - I CRIED while writing this chapter...
Please review (to cheer me up), while I go off and cry some more... sniff
Once again, sorry for Itachi's OOCness. I don't really know anything about him!!
Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for the final chapter.
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