Title: Breaking Symphonies

Author: Sparklehunter

Summary: Iruka isn't dead, but it may have been the better option. Then again, all dark clouds come edged in silver. . . .

Part, 5/6 (?)

Author's Note: Number ten, part five in a series of snapshots about the aftermath of an almost-death. Sequel to Worth Something/No Good Deed.

Author's Note II: Please Review! They taste better than dinner, and I'm too poor to eat! And stop in tomorrow or the next day for part six of Breaking Symphonies.

Author's Note III: I'm not quite sure about this part . . . I kinda drifted a bit from my outline, and this was the end result. It does speed up the (achingly) slow plot, but I'm not sure how people will react to what I did to Iruka. Feedback, please?

Breaking Symphonies

Breaking Point

by sparklehunter

Everyone has a breaking point.

Intellectually, Iruka knows this. He knows this, just as he knows no shield can last forever, all walls can crumble, and there's no such thing as an impenetrable fortress. When he thinks about it, he knows that all four are interrelated, interdependent, and maybe identical concepts. He's talked with Ibiki (the haunting breath against his cheek; 'if I were gonna torture you. . . .'), he's taught monsters masquerading as children for eight years, and he's been a ninja his entire life. He knows that everyone can break.

But Iruka also knows this: Shinobi aren't supposed to break. Shinobi aren't supposed to fall apart, shatter, and give their mind and soul over to the enemy. Shinobi aren't supposed to let the enemy take them. A Shinobi should die before breaking.

Iruka didn't die.

From the hospital cot he stares up at Saburo, who's straddling his knees and smiling that Kakashi smile.

"I was surprised," Saburo says. "I didn't think the weak point of the Hatake and Uzumaki would be let out without a bodyguard. Or five."

Iruka licks his lips. His head feels strange. His chest feels strange.

"You see, I know damn well how Hatake will respond when some bright spark gets the idea to parade you in front of Konoha. And it will kill him, in the end."

He doesn't know what to say, just listens in horrified fascination as Saburo continues.

"Hatake's foolish like that. He's ninja enough to forget you, and human enough to let that destroy him."

Everyone has a breaking point.

Iruka whimpers and tries not to believe Saburo, but Saburo, in all his twisted torments and torture, has never lied. But Iruka still tries, because he can't be Kakashi's breaking point.

"Iruka."

Iruka closes his eyes and bows his head. "I . . . hate. . . ."

Saburo leans forward and wipes away the tears with a careful finger. "I'll make you a promise."

Iruka tries to close his ears, close his mind, but Saburo's spent weeks learning him, and so he hears:

"You tell me about Operation Omega, and I'll keep your identity quiet."

Iruka shakes from grief. He thinks that he's grieving for his own loss, not Konoha's. He thinks that he's crying for Saburo, and Kakashi, and Naruto, and the conflict shatters his chest.

Saburo shifts on his legs and Iruka winces, and Saburo presses too-gentle kisses to his tears, and Iruka tells him about three hidden scrolls, a man with one red eye, and the Kyuubi.

Everyone has a breaking point. Iruka wishes, as he betrays everything he's ever believed in, mismatched eyes had never found his own.

TBC.

Review Responses: As always, thank you! And, er, I really do need information of Ibiki. Could someone please help?

Karaii: Well, breaking him was rather simple, wasn't it? A few months of paralysis, a few weeks of torture, a few weeks of cuddling, a few too many pain meds, the mention of Kakashi, and – viola! One broken Iruka, coming right up! Saburo is an evil man . . . I feel kinda bad for liking him.

Kakashidiot: Kakashi comes up in the next arc, which – if I read my notes right – takes place at the same time as this. Iruka is a stubborn bastard. Sabu-chan's being a bad boy, damaging Iruka like that. I'd say he needs a time out, but I'm afraid of what he'd think up while doing nothing.

Chibi-akuma-no-kage: Iruka, if he ever gets back to Kakashi, is going to have some major Kakashi-Saburo issues to work through, I guess. But Sabu-chan makes such an interesting Kakashi cosplayer.

Anbu-kakashi: Thank you!

Shi-chan: You caught another hint I built in, didn't you? Well, I put another one in, just for you. Betcha you can spot it. As for taking care of him vs torturing . . . I think, to Iruka, the care is actually worse. It's hard to hate someone and be strong when they's cuddling and caring for you, and giving you the pain meds you so desperately need.