Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and Kudozaki Lucine. The rest belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.
Uchiha Sasuke
The peaceful silence was disturbed by the silvery voice of genjutsu-Lucine. "Sasuke?" I opened one of my eyes to look down at her. Her bare body was wrapped around mine, hugging my waist gently as she rested her head on my chest.
"Hn?" I grunted as response, gently scraping my nails against her scalp, her soft hair tangling around my hand. Lucine had always enjoyed that when we were kids.
"Would you kill me?"
In surprise, both of my eyes snapped open, and I sat up to look down at her properly. She sat up too, now on her knees as she looked up at me innocently. "How can you ask me something like that?" She didn't answer, her gaze leveled and aloof, a realistic impression of the real Lucine. This genjutsu worked in strange ways. I had conjured the illusion myself, and I created Lucine in such a way that she responded to all of my desires while she had complete access to my mind. But she still had her own free will and could therefore act in surprising and unpredictable ways, much like my real love. "I would never. Killing you would kill me as well." I answered truthfully, laying back down on bed with my arms crossed behind my head. I gestured for her to lay back on top of me, which she ignored much to my annoyance.
Apparently, she wasn't done with her questioning. "What if I betrayed you? What if I slept with another man?"
The reaction was instantaneous, I pinned her to the bed and grasped her chin roughly. "I would kill that man." I seethed, the thought enough to make me go crazy with fury. "You are mine."
Genjutsu-Lucine didn't seem the least bit shaken, her face a perfect image of controlled composure. "And what about me? What would you do to me?"
At the feel of her bare breasts pressed against my torso, my thoughts wandered elsewhere, and it was becoming increasingly harder to focus on our conversation when all I wanted was to ravage her. "I can show you what I would do to you, since you're so curious." In a second, I had captured her lips with mine, making a path with my tongue, but before I could go any further, she had harshly bitten down on my lower lip. I immediately pulled away in shock, eyeing the defiant but playful glint in her eye. It reminded me of the time I had last been with the real her, and how she had bitten my lip just like now. The memory of that time was enough to make me fully erect, and I grinned predatorily down at her, "You dare defy me?"
"That was merely self-defense." She answered blankly, and wrapped her arms around my neck. I thought she was going to kiss me, but once again she surprised me, "I wasn't done with my questions. What would you do if I loved another man? Would you kill me then?" she asked it all so casually, as if asking about the weather or the time. I was growing impatient, not to mention increasingly angry at her provoking questions.
"I'll kill you if you don't kiss me now." I growled, harshly grabbing the back of her head to pull her into another angry kiss. In order to prevent her from biting me, I grabbed her jaw. She reciprocated this time, tangling her tongue with mine and mewling in pleasure when one of my hands found their way between her legs. Whatever rebelling she had planned was seemingly forgotten as soon as I inserted two fingers inside of her, which made me smirk in triumph.
It was a ridiculous question, and I didn't understand why the genjutsu would make her ask me that. Lucine could never love another man, her entire being belongs to me. Every cell in her body, every drop of blood, every strand of hair on her head, all of it is mine, mine, mine. For her to love anyone other than me would be going against nature itself.
Kudozaki Lucine
My entire body had gone cold at his announcement. I was speechless, not having the slightest clue on how to respond to that. Or rather, not wanting to. I just wanted it all to be a bad dream, for him to do that annoying smile he does, and poke my forehead while saying he was simply joking. But somehow, I already knew that he was telling the truth, and the realization made me aware of the rage building up within me. In order to maintain a calm composure, I had to close my eyes and breathe slowly.
"And you tell me now?" I seethed, wringing myself out of his grasp, he looked hurt when I did that, which made me momentarily feel guilty.
He sighed, but completely skipped my question. "Don't worry, the blood bond won't endanger you even if I die, at least not physically. And Sasuke still won't be able to touch you after my death, since the bond will last for the rest of your life. You also won't be able to be with anyone el–" Instead of letting him finish, I slapped him harshly. He barely flinched, just closed his eyes and stopped talking.
"I don't care about any of that, you idiot. If you die, then– then what's even the point for me anymore? I'd be–…" Alone. Shaking my head mentally to snap out of that moment of self-pity, I turned a frigid look back at him. "You think I'll marry you after what you just told me?" I glared at him, feeling the quiet rage simmer under my skin. Itachi can't die. He can't. I wouldn't bear it. "What is your ailment? What's the cure?" I asked immediately, getting out of bed and pacing the floor. "I'm not a medic, but we could find one. Tsunade is the best medical nin in the world, but as the Hokage she would never heal a missing-nin…" I thought out loud as I paced back and forth, not registering Itachi getting out of bed as well.
"Lucine." He said calmly, but I dismissed it in order to keep thinking of solutions.
"Sakura is her pupil, and I know she's been improving a lot these two years, close to surpassing even Shizune–"
"Lucine." I heard him say my name again, which made me send a quick glare his way.
"Don't interrupt me while I'm thinking." I barked at him, turning back to my thoughts. There had to be a way to save him. "Sakura is our best shot at this moment, maybe if I ask her as my teammate… No, she wouldn't heal a traitor either, I'd have to threaten her–"
"Lucine, listen to me." He said more sternly this time, now grasping both of my shoulders to prevent me from moving.
"Why aren't you taking this seriously?" I snapped, trying to shake off his hands, but he wouldn't let me go. "We have to try everything, I refuse to let you die– "
"I want to die." He interjected, a cool, neutral look on his face, and it made every single drop of blood in my body freeze. But if he wants to die, then that means –
"You would dare abandon me like your brother did?" I growled dangerously, nothing holding back my relentless anger and the outrage of it all. Using all my strength, I pushed him, and while it was enough for him to let me go, he didn't even stumble backwards. Not even the wounded look on his face was enough to calm my anger. When he didn't answer I pushed him harshly again, which urged him to speak.
"It's what I deserve, for all I've done. I killed my clan, ruining Sasuke's childhood forever. I even made you hate me. Sasuke has turned into something I can't recognize anymore, and it's entirely my fault. In order to repent for all my sins, I must die." He explained monotonously, looking like he truly meant each word, and I felt the dread increase for each word, hardly believing that this was my Itachi. I couldn't even respond, left speechless yet again at the idea of him thinking he 'deserved to die,' and he seemed to register that, judging from the defeated look on his face. "You wouldn't understand. There are still so many things you don't know."
"You're right, I don't. But I do know that I won't let you die. Never." I said determinedly, meaning every word. Despite my determination to keep him alive no matter the cost, I don't think I've never hated him as much as I did in this moment.
He stepped forwards, holding my hand in his. "It's already too late to save me."
"So you're just going to give up? Have you even been trying to look for a cure? Or better yet, do you even know what you're afflicted with?"
Itachi merely looked on with saddened eyes, as if I was the one in need of saving. My words didn't seem to get through to him at all. "Let's just enjoy the time we have left. I'd like to leave you with a part of me. I want to have a baby with you."
"A baby?! Oh my God, you intend to impregnate me and then desert your own child?! You are– you–… I-I can't believe you." My voice shook at the end as I struggled to gather my feelings who were in turmoil. Not familiar with these uncontrollable emotions, I felt my knees weaken pathetically, which made Itachi lead me back to the bed so I could sit.
"I wish things could have been different, you deserve better." He said softly, rubbing circles on my back. I didn't even attempt to push him away. I wasn't even angry anymore. Now I was just filled with disbelief and horror. As if encouraged by my silence, Itachi sat next to me while gently petting my hair. "I already knew this was going to happen. This is my destiny. If this illness won't kill me, then Sasuke will." He explained it all smoothly, almost sounding serene. I kept my gaze on the floor lifelessly, the lump in my throat seemingly not wanting to go away. Itachi kept going. "Sasuke will kill me when he is strong enough. That is our fate, and nothing can change it, not even you, my love." He answered determinedly. "Please accept this, Lucine. The last thing I want is to hurt you." He kept talking, kissing the side of my head now and then, but at this point, whatever he said was just like background noise.
There was no way to change his mind. He was truly convinced that the only way to pay for what he's done is by death, and I had no chance of getting through to him with logical reason alone. In order to convince him, I'll have to resort to more drastic measures. I slowly looked up at him, my expression aloof and indifferent so as to not reveal what I was thinking while he was still trying to explain to me why he had to die. It seems that there is only one way then.
"No." I said, calmly this time. He stopped then, looking at me questioningly. "You don't get to make that call." I voiced in the same tone, and stood up again. Taking a few steady steps forwards, but keeping my back to him, I uttered in an unwavering voice, "It seems that I'll have to force you."
I could hear him stand up from the bed, but I lifted my hand to halt him from walking up to me. Sighing, I resolved to the decision I had made. "If you refuse to cure yourself, to be healthy again, I won't marry you." I asserted quietly, still not facing him.
I heard him breathe in sharply, but it was obviously not enough for him. "I have no qualms about forcing you if it's for your safety, Lucine. Sasuke is still a danger to you."
"Yes, I know what you are capable of. But it seems you are unaware of what I'm capable of." I quipped dispassionately. I sensed that he was about to respond to that, but I didn't let him. Instead I turned around and faced him properly, looking at him in the eyes with a detached look. "I'll marry Gaara."
It was deathly quiet for a moment. Not even the sound of our breathing was audible. The expression on his face changed first, to shock, only to quickly morph into fury. He had me pinned to the wall in the span of a split second, but I didn't flinch, already expecting this reaction from him. Itachi breathed shakily, his hands on my throat, and through his teeth he seethed, "I dare you to say that again."
Not missing a beat, I repeated my words calmly. "I'll marry Gaara." The hands around my throat tightened, and I knew that if he didn't let go soon, I'd have bruises there. "Or, you can just kill me now. Be done with it all. You said it yourself, you'll kill me if you see me with another man."
He almost looked insane now, his eyes were crimson, his beautiful features twisted with wrath and jealousy. His hands shook against my throat. "You are a cruel woman." He said at last, the calmness of his voice betraying the ferocity of his eyes.
"Am I? I'm doing this for you, after all." I said mockingly, struggling to express myself properly since I could barely breathe, his fingers pressed against my windpipe. Smirking, I brought my hands upwards to rest upon his own hands gently. "What will it be, Itachi? You can live happily with me, or die with the knowledge that I'll be married to Gaara. Wait, actually… maybe I'll choose the latter regardless of what you do. I'll be the Kazekage's lady after all, I'll be– ugh." My breath was completely restricted now, which made me flinch at the sudden lack of air.
His Sharingan spun in angry circles as he glared down at me, and for a second, I thought that he was truly going to kill me. My feet were no longer touching the floor and I could see black spots in the corners of my vision, yet I didn't feel alarmed. In fact, it felt peaceful. Maybe dying by Itachi's hand won't be so bad.
The moment ended when he let me down on the floor again and softened his grip on me. I coughed a few times as I held my throat and gasped for air, but calmed down quickly to look at him. He doubtlessly looked defeated now, and I believe I've never seen so much emotion on his face, aside from when he's jealous or angry. That was when I knew that I had won, and I smirked in triumph.
"I'll try." He said lowly, looking down at the floor. "Give me some time to find someone to heal me. Just don't marry him." He said the last part more intensely, a desperate, begging look in his eyes. Hadn't it been for the circumstances, I'd almost feel sorry for him.
"Don't come back until you're in good condition again. I'll know if you're not." I said finally, and then stretched my arms while yawning quietly. It was a drastic measure, almost desperate, but if marrying Sabaku no Gaara was the only way to get Itachi to listen to me, then so be it. I could live with that. Besides, hadn't it been for my situation, I could see myself being with someone like Gaara anyway.
"Hn." Itachi grunted, not looking my way.
I resisted a smirk at his childish behavior. "You better leave. I'm tired and I have to attend to my potential husband tomorrow." I teased while making my way to bed. When I was curled up on my pillow and under my duvet, I looked up at him, but he was already gone.