Title: Admit Defeat
Author: Kisu
Rating: PG
Pairing: Sasuke x Naruto
A/N: I've been trying hard to keep up with my updates but I have a paper due soon so I've been busy! So here you go!
Thanks for the reviews! I read through them quickly so I can't single out everyone's questions, but I'm not sure if I'm going to involve Kakashi, Iruka, or other Jounins because I'm not really sure how to write them in.
Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me
Chapter 8: Payback"You killed my family?" Naruto asked, his eyes glowing strangely.
"Naruto." Sasuke looked over his shoulder in surprise and froze as the blonde's frightening expression. There was so much killing intent that was flowing off of him and Orochimaru inhaled deeply. A wide smile crossed his face and he licked his lips.
"I like that look on your face." The man commented as he eyed Naruto with interest.
"Answer me." Naruto growled, baring his teeth viciously.
"Yes, you heard right." Orochimaru gave a nod. "I ordered the massacre of the Uzumaki family and you are the last one. As I told you."
"You also killed Itachi." Naruto whispered, angrily. Orochimaru ran a hand through his mass of dark locks, grimacing slightly when he snagged a knot. "You killed not only my family but you killed Itachi!"
"Past history." Orochimaru sighed dramatically as he gave up in working his fingers through the tangles of his hair. He dropped his arm back to the side and Naruto balled his hands into fists.
"I'll kill you."
The words were spoken with such venom that the hair prickled on the back of Sasuke's neck.
"How do you want to die?" Naruto asked, pleasantly as all traces of anger seemed to disappear from his voice. "Slow and painfully?"
"You think you can beat me?" Orochimaru asked, throwing his head back and laughing wildly. "Don't forget the debt your father owes me and the blood repayment I want." His eyes flickered over to Sasuke and he looked up with confusion.
"Dead men don't need repayments." Naruto smiled before lurching forward with a snarl. Orochimaru stepped back and turned a shade paler as Naruto's hands came down in a swipe.
The side of his face stung as Naruto's fingers clawed his cheek and came down in a swipe, clawing a diagonal line across his chest. Orochimaru's shirt came off in ribbons and the Shinja leader snarled before swinging down with his pipe. Naruto smiled nastily before blocking it with his forearm. Orochimaru grunted as Naruto's other hand came from below and slammed into Orochimaru's stomach. The pipe in his hand flew out of his grip and he slid back, clutching his stomach.
"You." Orochimaru gasped, narrowing his eyes. Naruto swung back around to face him and his legs drew apart, his fingers curved into claws and held away from his body. "Dragon form?"
"Dragon form?" Sasuke repeated as he stared at Naruto and his weird stance. Itachi had taught him and Naruto that form when they were younger. The form was deadly and had been passed down through Ryuujin's Uchiha bloodline. Sasuke had only used it once or twice, but it was the first time he had seen Naruto use it so naturally.
"So Itachi had taught you, an outsider, the dragon form." Orochimaru laughed in delight. "I didn't know he was that flexible."
"Shut up." Sasuke snapped. "Naruto is an Uchiha."
"By adoption, only." Orochimaru smirked. "It wasn't like Kenji favored the boy. It was only to Itachi's whims that he kept the stray under his roof."
"You're lying! Father thought of Naruto as one of his sons." Sasuke glared.
"Uchiha Kenji knew who Naruto was." Orochimaru sniffed in disdain. "He knew that he was an Uzumaki and was very valuable to the forces of Shinja. Even Itachi knew who he was, but they never told him."
"Shut up!" Sasuke yelled as he quickly glanced over to Naruto.
"There is one other thing..." Orochimaru said as his eyes widened.
"No!" Sasuke blurted out as he ran forward.
"You were genetically created." Orochimaru finished. Sasuke slid to a stop and turn around to stare at Naruto, his mouth opened in horror.
"Don't listen to what he's saying!" Sasuke said, desperation evident on his face. "He's lying!"
"Are you sure you're not the one that's lying, Sasuke?" Orochimaru asked, pleased at the turn of results.
"I was…genetically created?" Naruto repeated, paling.
"Science gave you birth. Just like Gaara." Orochimaru smiled. "You two were created to be demonic killing machines. The intent was to enforce the power of Shinja. "
"Is that why…" Naruto's shaking hands reached up to touch his face where faint whisker like marks ran over his cheeks. He brought his hands away to stare at his hands and noticed the slight sharpness in his nails. Now he knew why he always felt different from others. With his unbelievable IQ and Gaara's unbelievable IQ, he should have known something was up.
---
"Ouch!" Naruto winced as the knife slipped in his grasp and cut across his index finger.
"Are you okay?" Naruto looked up and saw Gaara staring at him.
"I'm fine." Naruto grinned as he resumed cutting the tomatoes for the sandwiches. "I heal fast."
"Do you know why?" Gaara asked, with that unnerving gaze. But Naruto was used to it so he just laughed and placed the tomato slices onto a plate.
"What do you mean?" He asked as he wiped the knife clean and took out a loaf of bread.
"You will know when the time comes." Gaara responded, quietly. Naruto looked up, confused at his response and realized that Gaara had left the room.
---
"Gaara knew." Naruto whispered, his eyes widening is disbelief. "He knew and he didn't tell me?"
"Naruto…" Sasuke said, hopelessly.
"Sasuke! Did you know?" Naruto asked, turning to him. "Did you know that I was-." Sasuke lowered his gaze and looked away. "Sasuke!"
"I knew." Sasuke said, quietly. "Itachi and Father knew too."
"You all knew and you never told me?" Naruto snapped as he stared at the ground. That was why the head families of Ryuujin had always shot him dirty looks. At the Ryuujin family parties, he had always felt eyes on him and voices that thought he was too naïve to understand. He just hadn't realized what it meant until now.
---
"…DNA…fox…" A voice whispered.
Naruto forced his gaze onto the ground and clutched tighter onto Itachi's hand. Sasuke, who was on the other side of Itachi, stared at Naruto with worry. He tugged on Itachi's shirt hem and glanced up at his older brother.
"Naruto?" Itachi asked, quietly as he paused in mid stride. "What's wrong?" Naruto shook his head and his eyes remained on the ground.
"…outsider…not even human…"
Naruto stiffened and Itachi's head shot up as he looked around the crowds for the source of the soft murmurs. Then, Itachi placed his hand on top of Naruto's head and smiled gently. "Are you hungry, Naruto?" He asked. Naruto shook his head, refusing to lift his head up. Sasuke quickly walked in front of Naruto and tapped his shoulder. When the boy looked up, Sasuke flicked him on the forehead.
"Ouch." Naruto winced as his hands reached up to cover his head. "Sasuke, what did you do that for?"
"I felt like it." Sasuke replied with a grin. He took his hand and tugged him forward. "Let's go get some dango!"
"Ah…dango?" Naruto began before the boy with dark hair pulled him away from Itachi and into the crowd.
Itachi smiled at the fleeting figures before his eyes narrowed and his lips set into a hard line. "If I hear anyone talk about my younger brother in such an indirect way, ever again." He said in a voice that sent shivers down the spines of the people who stood in crowds around him. "They will receive severe punishment."
"Aniki!" Sasuke called as Itachi strolled toward the pair. His eyes softened as he gazed at Naruto who still had his eyes trained on the ground.
Uchiha Itachi wasn't one to make empty threats or promises.
---
"I knew they were talking about me." Naruto's voice cracked and Sasuke stepped toward him.
"Naruto…" He began.
"Don't come near me!" He yelled. "I'll kill you if you come near me!" His pupils in his eyes seemed to dilate into fox-like slits and Sasuke froze.
"Kyuubi…" He breathed, anxiously.
"That's why they called me that, didn't they?" Naruto asked, narrowing his eyes as hurt, anger, and sadness washed over the blue hue. "The demonic fox." His hands shook and he covered his face with a moan. "I'm not human."
"Yes you are!" Sasuke insisted as he stepped closer.
"They hated you." Orochimaru crooned in delight. "You're right, Naruto. You are a monster."
"Enough!" Sasuke roared as he ran forward, his fingers reached down to his leg to where a pouch was strapped. He drew up two kunais, weapons that he had been specially trained in from his father. With a mighty leap, he jumped into the air and crashed down onto Orochimaru, kunais out to draw blood. The Shinja gang leader saw this coming and took a step back before Sasuke could drive one of his kunai's in the man's throat but into his shoulder instead. With a roar, Orochimaru grabbed onto Sasuke's swollen wrist and wrenched it so the other kunai dropped from his grip. Sasuke screamed in pain.
With a vicious tug, Sasuke pulled the kunai out of Orochimaru's shoulder and swung wildly. The man screamed as Sasuke released his grip on the handle and flew back from a kick in the midsection. With eyes closed, Sasuke awaited the sound of his flesh meeting the wet pavement and was surprised when arms wrapped around him.
The two of them fell to the ground, Sasuke landing on his back on top of his savior's chest. The arms around him tightened and Sasuke tilted his head to the side as Naruto buried his nose into the crook of his neck. Sasuke's eyes narrowed before they widened on the Shinja leader before them. Orochimaru was on his knees, one hand covering his right eye where blood dripped between the splayed fingers. He felt sick and fascinated at the same time.
"You missed." Naruto mumbled. Sasuke realized he was right, if he had slammed the kunai into Orochimaru's eye any deeper, he would have reached the brain. Sasuke made sound between a laugh and a groan. "Hey…Sasuke…"
He turned and looked over his shoulder at the top of Naruto's golden hair. "I just realized that if you knew that I was…" He trailed off before resuming. "You knew what I was when you told me you loved me."
"Believe it or not, Naruto, your father was close to mine." Sasuke told him, quietly. "That was how Itachi knew where to find you. Even if…you were born without natural conception, you were still valued to your father. You also shared most of his genes."
"My father?" Naruto whispered, closing his eyes tightly.
---
A young boy with golden hair and large blue eyes looked up as the door to his playroom swung open. A man stood there, out of breath, blue-green eyes bloodshot and golden hair in an unkempt mess. He quickly scanned the room before landing onto him. "Naruto." He said as he strolled forward purposely. "Come with me."
"Anata?" A Japanese woman with black hair and brown eyes appeared in the doorway. She gasped and flung down her dishtowel that she was currently wiping her hands with. "What are you doing?"
"Sora." The man said, hoarsely. "It's nothing."
"Are you talking him to Orochimaru?" The woman demanded as she quickly grabbed onto the child. "We can't let that monster that Naru-chan! He doesn't deserve him!"
"Sora, don't worry." The man replied as he grabbed her hands. "I won't let anything happen to Naruto. I'm taking him away so he won't fall into Orochimaru's clutches."
"Asato, be careful!" She whispered as her eyes glittered with tears. Quickly she wrapped the blonde child in a hug and slipped a chain over his neck. "Remember Naruto, Okaasan loves you."
"Okaasan?" The boy repeated, softly as his blue eyes took in her teary face.
"We have to go." The man announced as he lifted the boy into his arms. He walked out the door and the woman sobbed, falling onto her knees. As the door swung shut behind them, the boy with the large blue eyes stared over his father's shoulders.
None of them noticed as the silver chain around the boy's neck broke and fell to the floor, followed by a rain of metal strips.
---
Naruto drew in a long shuddering breath and tightened his hold even more on Sasuke. Seeing the younger man needed comfort, he leaned back and felt the warmth of their closeness. The never-ending rain beat down on their heads, unnoticed. They sat in silence as Naruto breathed into his neck and Sasuke kept his eyes on the Shinja gang leader.
"I remember." Naruto said after a long silence. Sasuke shifted a little so he could see the top of Naruto's head over his shoulder. Orochimaru stood up and glared at them through his good left eye. "Otousan and Okaasan loved me very much. Even though I was special, they still loved me."
"Naruto…" Sasuke murmured.
"Otousan took me away." Naruto continued. "He left me in an alley and told me to stay put." Naruto sighed softly, his warm breath tickling Sasuke's neck. "But I didn't and I got lost. So I wandered on the streets at night because the police would try to catch me in the daylight. I was lucky that Itachi found me."
"Aniki and Father looked for you for weeks." Sasuke responded, quietly. "After we heard of your father's death, Itachi looked for you harder than before. We were about to assume you were dead." Sasuke's hand reached up to wrap around his forearm. "You're right, luck was on your side when Itachi found you. But when he brought you home, I felt that it was perfect. That you came to us or at least you came to me."
"You're such a sap, Sasuke." Naruto laughed, lowly. "So what are going to do with him?" Naruto slowly raised his head and they stared at the Shinja gang leader before them.
"My kunais are always poisoned." Sasuke commented as Orochimaru suddenly gripped his chest. "It runs like molten liquid in your veins. I was prepared to watch you die nice and slowly."
"You!" Orochimaru roared as he staggered to his feet.
"The faster your heart beats, the more pain you'll feel. A thousand needles will stab you multiple times." Sasuke whispered, his face void of emotion. "Each time will be payback for Itachi. Then, your insides will start to burn like acid burning away at your organs. This will be repayment for the Naruto's family." Sasuke smiled softly and his dark eyes glittered with anticipation. "Lastly, your pulse will race and your heart will beat faster and faster. Until it explodes."
Orochimaru made a gurgling noise and slid onto the ground.
"Um." Naruto coughed, he looked pale from the description Sasuke had just given them. He spotted Sasuke's wrist and edged away from Sasuke, tearing a strip from the bottom of his shirt and revealing a smooth expanse of golden skin. Sasuke silently watched as Naruto wrapped it around his wrist and tied it into a knot.
"Thanks." He smiled as Naruto stood and helped him up. But Naruto's eyes widened and he was pushed out of the way. Sasuke fell hard to his side and he was dimly aware of the sound of a gun being fired. Naruto stood in the same place, crouched over in shock with his hands covering his stomach. "Naruto!" He yelled, horrified as he scrambled to his feet.
With the last of his sanity, Orochimaru had drawn out a gun. Now it dropped out of his hand and clattered noisily onto the ground. The night was briefly illuminated with a flash of lightning and Orochimaru fell back onto the ground, staring up into the sky. Laughter rumbled in his chest and spilled out from his throat. It grew louder and louder until is competed with the clap of thunder that was issued.
Sasuke, filled with terror ran toward Naruto whose blue eyes had glazed over.
Lightning flashed again as Naruto fell forward and onto the wet pavement.
Orochimaru continued to laugh hysterically.
A clap of thunder followed.
Sasuke screamed.
---
TBC! More of Naruto's and Sasuke's past history spilled! Yay! =D