Chapter Thirty-Seven: Brother, I Hide, You Go Seek
Warning: This chapter contains a sort of sexual and morbid humour. Also, this is the first and last warning of this kind.
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Suigetsu walked into Itachi's office. He had a big grin on his face that was met with an unsympathetic look from the older one; he sat behind the large office table that complemented his stature; Kai and Serizawa stood erect like decorative sentinels behind his chair. The harsh morning light made his death-white skin appear a little less joyless and accentuated the hollows of his eyes. He looked faintly anaemic. Everything was still so neatly arranged on his table that it made Suigetsu flinch: the man was a bit obsessed with perfection.
" 'Am right 'ere, boss. Ya 'ave been so pushy. Did ya miss me?" Suigetsu asked and put his hands behind his head.
At his comment, Kai frowned and Serizawa smiled and Itachi did not look any less disinterested. He remained silent for few moments, looking at Suigetsu with renewed interest in his eyes. "Leave. I need to speak with this man," he spoke and waited for both of them to leave.
Suigetsu twisted his head to look back as the door clicked closed behind him. He brought his eyes back to Itachi; the light made sharp and apparent the angles of his face. He looked . . . young without the arrogant visage he wore daily. In that moment, he had thrown it away. Why? Suigetsu could not really say. The man was strange.
"Where's Sasuke? Was he actin' naughty again? He can be a meanie, too!" he said as Itachi's demeanour was only making him more uncomfortable.
Itachi narrowed his eyes, and his face suggested that he was not buying his lies. "That is why I asked of you to come. Where is Sasuke?" he asked in a wind-like voice, of men disembodied, as he slowly tapped his fingers against the table's hard wooden surface. The ashy face without emotions, the eyes without softness, and the lips without a discernable hue, pressed closed—he stopped more words from leaving his tongue's tip.
Suigetsu's smile faded, and his face turned wary. He looked from Itachi's long fingers to his hoary-white face, realising that he had already punished Sasuke and he left home. "I was on a leave. Did ya punish 'im? He didn't run 'way frem home, did he?" he asked and watched as light struck and cracked open Itachi's unchanging countenance.
"How touching that you care so much about the boy's wellbeing. Truly, I am moved," Itachi spoke, a smile's ghost teasing over his lips. "Are you trying to make me feel guilty? Oh, Suigetsu, still so foolish—still the feisty little boy from Rain in tatters. Did you spend the gold well? You have not changed much beyond your fancy garbs."
"Likewise, me guess. Yor still the same man I knew frem way back when. Still so cold, boss. Wouldn't hurtchya ta tone it down a bit—fer Sasuke, at least, but I knows 'am stupid and ya hate me advice, so 'am goin' ta shut me trap," he said in a choked back voice and pressed his lips together in a less-than-firm line. The terror was only beginning to possess and haunt him . . .
Itachi narrowed his eyes to thin red slits. He seemed furious. "Where is Sasuke?" he asked again in a voice that was less gentle and Suigetsu's insides filled up with dread the way broken houses filled up with rain.
Breathing out loudly, Suigetsu lowered his eyes. He counted his heartbeats and raised his head to meet Itachi's eyes—daemons cut open, dancing in fires—that made him shiver. "I don't know," he said, his voice quick and uncertain. Itachi's eyes were getting to him.
"You do not know? Readymade excuses—you adore them. I do not," Itachi mocked him in a slow voice and moved his head a little like a marionette made of plaster. His smile barely disturbed the rest of his features. It looked quite artificial as though this whole thing was a pretence for him—a game he was loving.
Suigetsu swallowed hard and stared at his hands and feet. Fear gripped him. It was gnawing at his insides like greedy creatures. He held his breath and tried to quiet that speeding heart, which showed no signs of slowing down. It was starting to hurt him to death. What would he say to him? Genjutsu did not work, but would he be truly safe from Tsukuyomi? The question tumbled in his brain like an annoying disturbance, and his heart skipped over itself.
" 'Am not makin' excuses," he said and lifted his eyes to look him in the eye. "I really don't know—I swear it!"
The controlled look faded from Itachi's face. His mouth had the suggestion of an uncharitable anger. The corners of his lips trembled in an exquisite start to an arrogant smile. "What do you think of me? Do you think of me as a fool?" Itachi asked, that smile full on his face now.
Suigetsu's face was sweating. His hands were sweating. His feet were sweating. His face was red with emotions and embarrassment. His eyes narrowed on Itachi's face, and then he quickly looked away. He did not know what to say. Itachi was very angry. He looked mad.
"I asked you something, Suigetsu. Do not be disrespectful," he spoke, maintaining that staying intensity in his eyes.
"No," he mumbled and looked back up.
"Praise the Sage," he spoke and clenched his jaws together. "You should know that I am not buying your lies. What did that stubborn child send you away for? The Missing-Nin business, I am sure. Did he make a permit? I am sure he did. I am not even asking you to tell me anything about that foul business concerning your dearly departed family. I am asking you to tell me where he asked of you to meet with him. That is all."
"K-Konoha," he whispered, drawing heavily on the dread-encrusted air. He quickly averted Itachi's gaze when he watched Itachi's face change with fury. There was nothing but contained rage upon his countenance, licking at the false cover before it, dying to break out.
Itachi slapped his hand on the table and stood up in one swift motion that Suigetsu barely saw him move. "Sage damn you. I do not have time for your games. Where is my brother?" Itachi asked, his voice colder than Suigetsu could have imagined; it was all threat and danger, and it was terrifying Suigetsu out of his wits; he was terrified of the man he hardly knew.
Suigetsu's breaths hissed from his lips, and he stepped back when Itachi approached him with the smooth movement of a predator, out to hunt in daylight, shy no more. "I—" he stopped, pulling in a deep, cool breath to calm his heart and nerves, "—don't know—swear it."
"You lie," Itachi spoke in a hissing whisper, towering over him, Shurikens cutting deeply and murderously—the look in them moulded by anger and impatience that rose from their depths with force. It was an unnatural sight. "You love to bite the hand that feeds you? Are you willing to sacrifice my brother, my child, for your vengeance? Do you really think I will allow it? You underestimate me."
" 'Am not lyin'," Suigetsu answered weakly, and then his voice found the strength to add, "don't know where he is. Maybe ya shouldn't 'ave punished 'im if ya didn't want this." And he immediately regretted what he said. All at once, Itachi's colder face was distorted, and he was struck with fury, eyes adding their glaring stares, fingers clenching. He should not have said that . . .
"You insolent fool," Itachi spoke venomously, his voice slow and cold, his white teeth bared—face hard as a rock, eyes shining redly in contempt. The veins on his temple stood out. Suigetsu had never seen him so angry.
"Forgive me—I-I didn't mean ta say that," Suigetsu said quickly and took one step back to increase the distance between them. A shocked expression came over his face, and he felt dancing shivers along his spine.
"Tell me the truth, or I can turn to something less delightful and see if I can pluck something from your mind," he spoke, taking out that long Kunai from the sheath behind his back. "Where is he hiding? I will not ask you again."
"Dammit, mate, I don't know!" he shouted. "He told me ta come back and meet with 'im 'ere. I'd no idea he ran 'way. 'Am not lyin' ta ya! He stopped me frem sendin' 'im a message. I don't know, dammit, I don't know—and I don't know what ya think af me, but I happen ta like Sasuke. He's me friend. I wouldn't sacrifice him fer meself, but if it makes ya feel any better, try yor Genjutsu on me. Ya will lose one extra arm ta find 'im. Don't say I didn't warn ya."
Itachi considered him for a moment, his wraths cooling slightly and sinking back down, his Shurikens returning back to a sleeping state. "Where do think he may have run off to? I have till morning to bring him back. Speak—I do not have time," he spoke and put his Kunai away.
"Mornin'? What do ya mean?" he asked, surprised.
"An Official Inquiry on the prisoner and Byakugan has been forwarded by the Root's Head. There is a hearing tomorrow morning. I asked that woman to buy me time, and . . . " he paused and took in a deep breath, with a soft irritation on his face, " . . . she only made matters worse. She forwarded an application that Sasuke is ill. A Sensor from the Yamanaka Clan will come to my house by morning to examine him. If he is satisfied, it will be delayed. Are you amused yet?"
"What the fuc—I mean, bloody hell!" he said aloud, his eyes wide open.
"I do not have any more moments to spare for your shenanigans. If Sasuke is not home before sunrise, he will be declared a Missing-Nin, and—" Itachi stopped and looked away, his voice a little strained with anger.
Suigetsu looked at him intently. There was that familiar look of ghostly worry in his face and eyes—the look he saw years ago. He took in a few whiffs of air redolent with the fragrance of purple lilies, smiling, yet sad and drying in the vase on the corner of Itachi's table. It was a beautiful smell. He breathed in again and rubbed at his eyes with the back of his hand. Sasuke might not forgive him, but this was for his own good . . .
"I know where he might've gone, but," Suigetsu broke off, finding it hard to continue, "don't—don't punish 'im. He'll hate ya more."
"Where?" Itachi asked and turned around to face him fully.
"Somewhere close ta Hidden Waterfalls Village," he said, staring at the sceptical look on Itachi's face. "I'll send some Water Clones ta the Land af Waves, too. Just in case. And I'll ask Jūgo ta help me. He'll be amassin' Natural Energy in that dark cave up in the mountains. He might even kill me if I go near 'im now, but he'll listen if I tell 'im that Sasuke's in trouble. Karin won't know which bird is followin' his orders, anyway."
"And why has he gone there?" he asked, and his eyebrows rose up. The harder expression was replaced by a lighter one now.
"I thought ya didn't want ta waste time, boss?" he said, a teeth-filled smile sparkling on his face.
For a moment, Itachi looked at him silently, and then he spoke: "speak with Jūgo and meet me by the lake in one hour."
Suigetsu nodded and left the office silently. "Scary guy," he muttered when he closed the heavy door of Itachi's office. He looked outside the first window in the corridor. The sun was a little red. In a couple of hours, dusk would arrive to rule upon Leaf. He had to find Sasuke . . . fast!
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Sun was streaming in through the partition-screen, coming and glinting in his black eyes. He took a sip of sake that was strong and tasted good. It was a shame how nasty the ones from Leaf tasted. He looked around and found the restaurant mostly empty. One old man sat several tables across from him, with a group of four other middle-aged men. They were playing checkers.
A drunkard sat slumped by the door. He was snoozing; his mouth, wide open, and a dribble of saliva hung out from one corner. He mumbled something incoherent and cackled in his sleep. Then he went completely still again. A straw hat hung low over more than half his face, and his legs were spread out awkwardly on the wooden floor. He looked very silly.
Sasuke turned his eyes slightly and looked over to Karin who was speaking to another woman. He imagined her to be in her early thirties. She was wearing touches of traditional makeup around her eyes and on her pretty mouth. Her face was sharp, her neck long and beautiful. She was a very pretty woman.
Karin dragged her to him, and she sat down beside him. "Morinaga-San, I know where the village is," she said, putting her hand before her lips, and half-smiling. A red blush burnt her cheeks, and she bit her lower lip to stifle a laugh.
Sasuke brought his eyes on Karin. "Who's she?" he asked and took another sip of the sake.
"Miku," Karin said and snatched the cup from his hand to take a quick sip. "She was my friend at the Night Flower. She knows this area. The village we're looking for is somewhere around the outskirts of Waterfalls."
"You can't get to it easily. It's difficult to find," Miku said and clasped her fingers together.
"What do you mean?" Sasuke asked and pulled the cowl over his head when he heard the chimes on the door hit the wall noisily. Another customer walked in and yelled an order as he sat down at a low table. He watched a young woman scramble to the back of the kitchen.
"It's protected by a powerful barrier, and the whirlpools there create a thick mist. The chakra from the barrier blends in with it. It's impossible to see through it. Sharingan or Byakugan wouldn't be able to see a thing, either. And one wrong step on those treacherous paths? It's suicide to go there alone without an escort," she said and inched a little closer to touch his shoulder.
"Then how does a frail girl like you manage it? It seems like an impossible task," he said and gazed at the laughter well up from the whitest throat he had ever seen (well, except his brother's throat—often, Itachi looked akin to a delightful corpse that needed to be aired in the sun). She suppressed it immediately, her hand on her fluttering breast and her eyes upon him.
"I have a scroll. It disperses the mist by creating a barrier around the user. A couple of people can fit into it. One needs to know the path to get to the village. It's in an underground cave. The village is a beautiful place, Morinaga-San. Would you like to stay there for a while—for free?" she asked, her voice mellow, her expression seductive. She reminded him of Kokoro: his lover for a year; and what a terrible ordeal that had turned out to be?
He was a boy of fifteen then; she, a girl of twenty. As a high-ranking Jōnin, he was assigned as her guard by the Anbu Branch. Her father personally requested Itachi to spare him an Uchiha for the task. His brother was reluctant, but to push Sasuke away from his steadfast pursuit of the thrills in Anbu, he granted his request. Sasuke was displeased with his brother.
She was the daughter of a wealthy family from the Fire Country's Capital. She did not belong to a powerful Clan like his, but they were influential people. Kokoro showed such lust for Sasuke when she first met him, and he became her lover. Whether it was to get back at his brother for cutting him loose from Anbu, or that his youthful loins stirred at the wild and free demeanour of a pretty girl? He could not say.
It was a back and forth affair for him. She would make frequent trips from one village to the next, and her father always obliged. He only wanted to protect his daughter from his foes; and Sasuke stayed with her during the long trips. He went away from home for weeks at a time. She willingly let him play with her, willingly gave up her virtue on the third day of his assignment when she invited him to her guest-room and took off her expensive kimono. She was a shy lover at first, and he pawed the hell out of her.
He remembered how Kokoro laid down on the bed, legs spread into a wide stance, body nubile and bare. It took him a while to register her request. He stood there, shocked by her boldness, his loins burning at the sight of her. His brother would be furious if he found out, but Sasuke did not care. To hell with him!
He remembered: how he loved her flesh, smiled when she pushed his head down between her legs; how she thrashed about when he tasted her, moaned when he slid his lengthening organ between her lips and moved his hips with quickness against her mouth; but he was impatient . . . the pain, the blood, the remnants of her virtue on his arousal, it was a strange feeling. He did not go easy on her and she winced and wept. He was a boy, far too young and thoughtless.
He kept going and she kept weeping, her eyes streaming with tears, but she did not stop him. At last, her pain subsided, and her expression changed. The tight muscles in her face relaxed, and her eyes went back into her head . . . and she whimpered with a new emotion. It was a good thing her maids were in on it. Oh, how he had enjoyed her. He took her in many ways and loved the way her pliant body let him.
Sasuke thought it would be a onetime wild night for the foolish girl who was spoilt rotten, but he was mistaken. Kokoro made up lies to drag him with her. He could not say he hated it. In fact, he loved to get away from his house, get away from his brother who refused to let him back in Anbu. The more he refused him, the more inflamed he got; and he took it all out on Kokoro, pawing her. She never complained. She loved the nature of their arrangement. She could not stop herself from going near him even whilst she was bleeding.
He got away with it for a whole year, fucking her as he pleased to ease his worries. It did not take long for it to come crashing down on him. It turned out that she was betrothed to another wealthy man from the Capital, and the marriage ceremony was not far; and he had taken her virtue, taken her in ways that would have made her father faint with shame. It was a crucial detail she never bothered to mention. The women from the other family were suspicious of her purity. Their maids examined her . . . and it was chaos!
A scandal most outrageous. The whole Uchiha Clan was in an uproar, lamenting over his unbecoming behaviour. Her father demanded an apology from Itachi and a compensation for his shame. His daughter was defiled and shamed. She was the talk of the whole village: a girl who betrayed her groom-to-be's family and slept with a man for a year. His brother had to bow before a lesser man and offer his apology and gold to ease her family's suffering; and Lord Sage, he had never seen his brother so furious. It was the first time Itachi raised his hand to him. He slapped him hard enough to turn his face, knocking his headband off. It split his lip open and it bled badly.
The scolding he received and the shame he felt at being struck like that before the Elders of his clan. It stung his cheek and pride. He was taken off duty and Itachi did not speak to him for a month. Kokoro was wedded off in the family. They considered him the evil Uchiha imp who, using the power of his Sharingan, seduced and dishonoured their innocent daughter. He scoffed at the whole thing. Sasuke realised that she wanted to break off the marriage. She found him beautiful and virile and willing—she used him. That was all. Her game did not work. They were separated, and he felt a little heartbroken by her lies. He never saw her again. Ah, the audacities of youth . . .
Sasuke smiled as his thoughts faded back into the past. "I'll think about it when we get there," he said, "it's never a good thing to be too sure of oneself." He took out a pouch of gold from his pocket and put it in her hand.
All smiles and sparkling eyes, she bowed to him. He did not stick around and walked out of the inn, with Karin in his wake. He walked for a few minutes and stopped by an old well. "Morinaga?" Sasuke said and took off his cowl.
"Don't you like it? It suits you. It was the only name I could think of. He was one of my customers," Karin said, leaning against the tree on her right.
"Was it necessary to take a prostitute's services? Sage knows how many men she's led there. Is she trustworthy?" he asked and looked up at the evening sky. It was bleeding red on the horizon.
"I can sense if she lies. I've already placed a Seal on her. Once we get there, you can use Genjutsu on her to wipe her mind clean," she said. "Besides, she's a good friend, and she's letting us stay at her forest house, too. Be nice to her. She's the only one I know about who sells wares there."
"Be nice to her?" he mused, a lopsided smile on his face. "Are you planning on drugging me again? Behave yourself. I'm not in the mood." He started walking ahead.
"Wait, Sasuke, you—" she stopped when she heard the movements of loud wings. She turned around and saw several birds sitting about a crow in a tree. The multitude looked obedient, quiet and watching, as though they sat with a king in their midst. She used her Sensing but did not feel a thing inside it. It was like a chakra-less mirage!
"What is it?" Sasuke asked from about thirty feet away. He did not take out his Sharingan. He was in a strange land, pretending to be someone else.
Karin looked from the tree to his face, dusk beautiful upon his mouth and cheeks. She felt nervous, but she changed the expression on her face from that of surprise to mischievousness. "I was thinking that it'd be fun. You almost enjoyed it last time," Karin said, a leer on her pink lips. He shook his head in irritation and started walking again, and she did not mention the crow to him . . .
They walked for hours through the forest. The sky turned from bold red to sombre grey and then finally black. It was night and the forest was quiet. They heard distant sounds of many waterfalls: the village was close! Karin got tired halfway, and he had to sit down to let her climb on his back. He carried her all the way to the forest house.
It started drizzling when they reached the house: it was small, with a big garden in front, and sat amidst a clusters of lush trees. She probably made it with all the money she earned from Night Flower. Moss grew on the roof's side; it had made its way down the wall and grew big and thick on the wood. The bonsai trees stood green and fresh. There was a lot of moisture in the air from the lakes and waterfalls. Autumn had no effect on this place.
Karin opened the padlock on the door and made hand seals to remove the barrier. Miku had made it to protect her home and wares. Now, she was a merchant and was close to getting a citizenship in Waterfalls. He liked her tenacity and courage to make it out of that village. She was a brave, hardworking woman.
When the door opened, smells of spices swelled outwards to him. Bags were piled up in the corner of the kitchen. He saw an old kettle putting out a whistling sound over the hearth: a jet of steam was rushing from its narrow gooseneck outlet. Karin rushed to it and put in on the side on the matted floor. Then she flapped her hand and smiled at him. He closed the door and hung his cloak on the Kimono stand reared up against the wall. The room was dimly lit, and, in the absence of Sharingan, he could barely see a thing.
Not a moment passed when Miku popped up by the hearth. She had used a basic Teleportation Jutsu. She looked a little out of breath, her cheeks red. The same hot colour returned to her face when her eyes found him.
"Are you a Shinobi?" he asked and crossed his arms. Learning a Teleportation Jutsu was no easy task—this woman was surprisingly good with her techniques.
"No, Morinaga-San," she said and put her hands upon her heaving breast. "Karin taught me these when we worked in the village. I practiced to improve my chakra control and got better at it. I only know a few Jutsus to save my life in hairy situations. I'm a woman who lives out here alone."
Sasuke looked at her, his face a little hard, but he did not say anything. It was always a mistake to be too trusting of people. His past mistakes had taught him that. He eyed her for a moment longer before he flashed his eyes to Karin. She was still puffing at her reddened palm.
"Morinaga-San, why don't you freshen up in the room over there? I'll bring you dinner when it's ready," she said and pointed to a sliding door down the narrow corridor. He felt tired and left the sitting area in silence . . .
When night came, the cramped house was filled with voices and sounds. Karin sure was a chirpy one. She talked so much, and it was the first time he was realising it. She talked and talked, and the other woman barely responded with an occasional hum or um. The rain was strong. It whipped down the leaves in the garden and forest and created a din outside the window.
Sasuke ate dinner quietly in the guestroom. He wanted to be left alone. His thoughts wandered off to his brother, but he rejected them. He had left him behind—left it all behind. In a few days, he would be declared a Missing-Nin. It was over . . . and he did not care. Itachi would grieve for a night—maybe two. Then he would hunt him down. He was sure of this private thought, sure of his brother's lesser love for him before the village—and it hurt his heart more than he could bear.
His fingers trembled around the teacup, and he tried his hardest to not let grief win over. It never materialised on his cheeks; yet it sat in his eyes, soft in his Sharingans. He swallowed and gazed up when Karin walked into the room, with a cup in her hand. His eyes shone brightly on his face in the light of the lantern overhead.
"What's wrong?" she asked, quite concerned, and slid the door shut.
"Nothing," Sasuke said and bent his head down to hide his face. "How long are we staying here? We need to leave. Nii-Sama would be looking for me. I want to get as far away from here as possible. Tell her that we leave first thing in the morning. I don't want to waste time." He put the cup down on the table and leant his back against the wall. The futon felt soft under his legs; he wanted to sleep . . .
Karin sat down beside him and brushed his hair from his cheek. "You miss Itachi, don't you?" she asked, holding the cup in her other hand.
Sasuke looked back at her, his eyes assuming a harder red. "I don't want to speak of it. Leave me be. I want to sleep," he said coldly and closed his eyes.
Anxious, she looked down at the cup. Then she gazed back at him, a little indecisive. She took in a loud intake of breath and spoke, "take this. It'll help you sleep."
Sasuke looked at the cup and then at her face. "What is this?" he asked and took the cup from her hand.
"Chamomile tea," she said, smiling.
Sasuke took a whiff of the smell and downed the cup in one gulp. He stretched his arm to put the cup down, and it slipped from his grasp. Heat pooled into his lower region, and his breaths came out rough and hard. His vision turned hazy, his touch unsure as he put his hand to his burning cheek.
"Karin—you!" he grunted as he tried to sit up straight. His head fell forward and his back bowed, as though a terrible weight was forced down on it, and he fell onto his side and lost consciousness. (The damned woman had drugged him again!)
Sasuke woke up to the loud and resounding thunder. The whole room shook, and the storm's anger lingered for few more moments. He sat up and winced. His body ached, and his stomach was acting up. He looked around and found the room empty.
He was angered by her boldness to trick him at a time like this . . . he did not want to know what she did to him throughout the night. She could be so vulgar. He got up, but he felt dizzy. The drug had still not worn off—even his legs were weak; but at that moment, he felt vomit build up in his stomach. He rushed out of the door and the forest-house. The vomit burst into his mouth, and he slumped down onto his knees and deposited it next to the well.
His fingers trembled on the wet stones as the vomit rifled up his throat. He hurled nosily. After what felt like hours, nausea faded, and he finally spat out the last of the tangy taste from his mouth. He grabbed the pail hanging down from the rope above the well's mouth and tipped it above his lips. He drank the water, soothing his lips, cooling his hurting throat. It went down his chin and soaked through his clothes.
The drizzle was cool and light. He sat back down and rested his back against the well and tried to drift off to sleep when the rustle of leaves roused him. He sprang to his feet and looked long and hard at the forest that was a big black crooked crow; and his unwilling Sharingan resonated with the other man's who moved towards him slowly from behind the night that was deepest at the forest's mouth.
Sasuke's eyes widened, and the back of his throat dried up instantly, the obedient wheels spinning with musical precision with the other. The disobedient darkness parted away without feet, without sounds, and the taller man walked into the clear moonlight and stopped: his face was a lifeless stone, and, in his roiling eyes, red was devoid of the softness he had known since his childhood . . . and he could not help himself from whispering in fear: "Nii-Sama . . . "
He had never seen his brother look so furious . . .
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