The Never-Fading Light
Chapter 3: Betrayal of Innocence
Sasuke had gone back to their apartment and changed into his ANBU gear. He loaded kunai and shuriken along his legs, placing the sword down his back in the sheath. He adjusted his gloves and grabbed extra camping supplies in case he was stuck in the outer territories for too long. His eyes wandered across their bedroom. Naruto's clothes were all flung haphazardly around the floor, even though he knew that drove Sasuke insane. There were little things they had agreed on...the decorum...the bed...the pictures. His eyes landed on the photo of when they had both graduated to the rank of chunin. They had only been dating for a few weeks at the time, but that didn't stop Naruto's arms from surrounding him in the photo.
He felt a sudden stab of guilt as he thought about how much this would hurt him. He would never accept the fact that Sasuke had learned about a possible lead and had left without him. He couldn't risk it. Naruto leaving the free territory was suicide. Not only that...he had left him at home for a much more selfish reason. When he finally saw Itachi again he knew his head was going to explode. He knew he would get images of horrible things...and he didn't want Naruto to find out why. He wanted to spare his dobe the knowledge that the person he had just wanted to make a baby with was fucked up beyond reason. He knew it was selfish...but he just needed to see his brother.
Naruto would forgive him eventually...he hoped.
He grabbed the photo before he could think of all the reasons he shouldn't. He tucked it carefully into his pocket as he left the apartment. He knew he might not be back for awhile. Naruto was used to that though. Sometimes his missions took weeks. As long as he didn't find out where he really went, well, ignorance was bliss.
Sasuke pulled the cloak over his head as he jumped into the trees. He sprinted through the night as the wind whipped at his face. It wasn't hard to pick up Sasori's trail. ...As a matter of fact it was almost too easy. He felt nervous at the way Obito and Sasori had all but led him out of the free territory by the nose. Obito had been insistent that it be tonight, and Sasuke was too brimming with excitement to argue.
How could he not be? Not only was there a lead on Itachi, but there was a lead on that orange masked bastard from that night. He wanted to speak to them both. He wanted to find out what really happened. The man had shown him the deaths of his clan, and had said he owned Itachi. Did that mean that his brother had helped? Did it mean he was telling the truth when he had found him that night? He had never known for sure, and so even then, bawling and ruined as an eight year old, he had told the Hokage that Itachi hadn't been the one to do it.
He had lied for his brother, because if there was a mistake, well, then Itachi could come home. He was so pathetically lonely that he was willing to do anything to get part of his family back. He didn't know if they believed him. Honestly, he didn't care. They hadn't told everyone it was Itachi. It was an unknown murderer. He was labeled crazy until Obito returned. His cousin had shut down the rumors. His cousin had brought back proof that the Akatsuki existed. That was before of course they made their presence known to the world.
Sasuke's foot pressed to a branch, springing quickly through the air. He had sensed somebody following him a few miles back. They hadn't made a move yet, and he wanted more information on his opponent before he reacted. He could sense at least 2 chakra points. ...A trap then after all, but they clearly didn't know him very well if they didn't think he could take two shinobi.
He heard a branch break, and grabbed his sword just in time to spin around. He slashed forward and through what looked like a giant clay eagle flying towards his face. He fell backwards as he cut through another flying bird, flipping midair to land on his haunches on the ground. The hood of his cloak flew back as he scanned the area above him. He shot back as 50 other birds came at him from all sides. He made the hand signs, blowing out flames at the clay while he ran to the side. He pressed his back to the bark of a tree, pulling out a handful of kunai as he glanced around to try to catch sight of who was attacking.
"Come on out puppy," A voice sing-songed through the trees. "It's a beautiful night out for a kidnapping." Sasuke flung himself towards another tree as giants spiders began to crawl all over the one he was at, exploding and sending him flying forward.
His ears were ringing as he spun around, disoriented as the forest was now on fire around him. "Kidnapping?" He asked. "For who?"
"Someone who wants all the pretty secrets in your head," That voice called, almost amused sounding as Sasuke dove away from another round of explosions. "We'll crack it open and he can just pull out the ones he wants. We'll feed the rest to Zetsu. Don't you think?" He asked, but Sasuke didn't think it was directed at him.
"I think Zetsu prefers something other than brains. I hear they're high in cholesterol." Sasuke froze at that, because he recognized that name.
"Sasori?" He asked unbelievingly, feeling like an idiot as he gave up his position. He hardly had time to fling himself up a tree before another explosion rang out through the forest.
"My man, did you just make a joke?" The other asked, and from his vantage point Sasuke could see who was talking now. It was a man with long blond hair tied up and a scope for an eye. He was wearing an Akatsuki cloak, which wasn't surprising. What was surprising was that Sasori was wearing a matching one of his own.
"Traitor!" Sasuke screamed down as they both glanced up. "I trusted you!"
"When did I ever give you a reason to trust me?" Sasori asked. "I found you wallowing in your own misery, and I used it to my advantage. I told you not to trust those around you. Why would you ever assume I wasn't referring to myself?"
Sasuke glared as he tried to wrap his head around the situation, and why someone he thought of as not only a teacher, but as a friend would be working for those bastards. "So you're with the Akatsuki?"
"Uhhhh duh." He heard the blond mock, and Sasuke sent kunai flying through the air out of pure spite. "That's not how you should treat your friends."
"You aren't my friends!" Sasuke screamed, anger lashing through him as he began to spring through the trees. If this was really a trap he needed to get away from here fast. He only knew Sasori's abilities, and knew he would be practically impossible to best in battle. That said nothing for that other smug bastard that was down there with him. If he could get away then he would be able to come up with a plan.
"No good to run puppy!" He heard that voice sing song behind him again. "We're taking you back to your new gilded cage, but don't worry! I'll come by and give you treats!"
"Freak!" He called behind him, hardly getting his weapon up in front of him as puppet strings flew past him, dragging a body with them as Sasori appeared in front of his path. Their swords clashed as Sasuke brought his own up to block. He gritted his teeth at the power behind his sensei's blows.
"I taught you your swordplay. Do you really think you can best me, Sasuke?" Sasori asked. "We came to talk."
"Oh yeah?" Sasuke asked sarcastically. "I could clearly see that from the exploding arachnids flying at my face." He shoved at the sword to knock it back, before clashing with him more as he drove him through the trees.
"Deidara can get a little excited. Besides, it would pathetic if any of those had hit you," Sasori grumbled as they sparred. "I've taught you better than that."
"All the years we've know each other, and you've been working for them!" He screamed, sharingan flooding his eyes.
"Obviously, Sasuke. I did tell you to open your eyes," They flew through the trees, and Sasuke looked up to see Deidara flying over them while riding a giant falcon. "You've been coddled in that village. It's time you see just what the world looks like. I'll do everything I can to petition for your life when it's all over."
"When what is over?" He bit out through his teeth.
Sasori sighed in disappointment. "Why in the world would you be lured out on your own, Sasuke?" He asked him, rolling his eyes.
"Puppy's going to be bait!" Deidara called from above them, flying the exact speed they were fighting as they fought through the trees.
Sasuke felt himself slip to the side a little at that, feeling idiotic as he realized just what he meant. "Naruto," He whispered, hissing as Sasori slicing at his distracted arm, cutting him down to the bone as he fell backwards onto a tree limb.
"Yes, the Kyuubi." Sasori agreed, leaning down in front of him and placing the sword against his neck. "Our Leader's patience has finally run out. Too many people are relying on the free zone as their last hope of survival. As long as it exists the Akatsuki can't truly rule."
"Naruto is the Kyuubi!" Sasuke growled. "It will take an army to stop him,"
Deidara snorted from above him, "Well good thing we have an army," He joked.
"Yes, but we won't need an army," Sasori pointed out. "We'll only need you. The one he loves the most in this world. He won't fight us."
"No!" Sasuke yelled at him, aiming a kunai towards the chest leaning near him, trying to crack through the breastplate of the puppet.
Sasori caught his wrist with the puppet strings before it could reach him, gripping his chin with his other hand. "Yes," He sighed again. "The pain is going to start soon. It will be unbearable. If you feel your body pulling you towards unconsciousness you should take the hint."
"What are you talking about?" Sasuke growled, Sharingan rotating in his eyes with his anger.
"I tried to teach you this lesson earlier," Sasori started just as the worst pain he had ever felt lashed its way through his gut. "You can make a poison to kill, or you can make one to prove a point."
"You poisoned me?" Sasuke asked, bending over as he wretched, blood from his stomach spilling over his lips and down his chin.
"Yes," Sasori murmured. "It's the recipe you've been working on. It was in your medicine. It's amazing how trusting you were to just drink."
"You've given it to me countless…" Sasuke threw up again, clutching at the bark as the front of his uniform was now covered in blood as his head swam.
"Yes, I've given it to you multiple times. You trusted the formula and so you would never question drinking it. A useful means of assassination, don't you agree? Get the target to trust you first. That way they do not question their choice of food or drink around you. That way it is less likely that anyone would suspect you."
"You want to...kill..kill…" He vomited more blood as his entire body broke out in a cold sweat.
"Of course I don't want to kill you," Sasori murmured, and actually clapped him on the back of the head. "This was your mixture. This is what you wanted your victims to go through before they died. Think about that next time you're developing a poison." Sasori pulled out a vile, pressing it to Sasuke's mouth, and the Uchiha drank it like he was dying knowing it was the antidote.
"Sasori stop playing with your food!" Deidara called from above, and Sasuke looked up with a glare. He really hated whoever that asshole was.
Sasuke shoved Sasori back, feeling spots in his vision as he grabbed for his sword and lunged with his chakra towards a nearby tree. He ran up it, flying high enough through the air that he was over the clay bird, coming down at downward angle and slicing his way through the bastard's shoulder.
Blood sprayed around them from the severed limb as Deidara screamed out in pain. He collapsed forward onto the clay bird, puking up more of what he could only imagine was literally his guts as black appeared around his vision from the blood loss.
"You son of a bitch!" He heard Deidara scream as he struggled to push himself up. "Bad puppy!" Was screeched at him before something cracked hard into the back of his head.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"What do you think you're hoping to accomplish by this pointless struggling?" A taunting voice asked. Sasuke's eyes followed the bastard as he circled him. The diadem was bloody on his forehead from where Kabuto had tried to slice it off of him. His arms had gone numb hours ago as he was hung up like a stuffed turkey. That's what he was to them, wasn't it? He was their food.
"What can I say? Us Uchiha's are a stubborn bunch," He bit out, teeth nearly cracking as he struggled not the scream as a red hot poker was jammed through his calf. Blood dripped below him onto the ground as that sadist yanked it back out again, and Sasuke couldn't help the scream of pain as it tore through his muscles. At this rate he would be hamstrung and wouldn't be able to run again. ...Though at this rate, what did it matter? It had been 8 days and Itachi still wasn't here. At this point...what the hell would he even be saving?
"Maybe I should just cut that silver tongue out of your mouth, eh?" Kabuto asked, coming over to where Sasuke hung and grabbing his chin to pry open his mouth. "Don't worry...I can sew it back in. It will make things easier for Lord Orochimaru, don't you think?" He questioned as Sasuke struggled. "Maybe I should just rip out all your teeth while I'm at it? Maybe then you won't make such playful quips?"
Sasuke scowled at the man. "What's the matter Kabuto? You pissed because Orochimaru wants to fuck me and not you?" Sasuke leaned into him, glaring with his mismatched eyes as he met those cruel sadistic ones. "Trust me, you weren't missing anything."
"Oh I forgot, you only like them when they share your DNA," He growled at him, and held up the scalpel. "Didn't I tell you to mind your tongue?" He asked, and Sasuke struggled in the bindings as he was pulled closer. He screamed a wretched bloody gurgle as that scalpel slid like butter through the muscle of his tongue. "Don't worry Uchiha," Kabuto said cruelly. "I told you I'd put it back. Let's see just how much I can cut off you before he comes running." Sasuke was spitting up mouthfuls of blood as those cruel lips pressed against his ear. "Or is that the truth of the matter, Uchiha? Deep down you know in your heart. He's going to leave you here to rot." He grabbed his chin, using one of the hot poker to sear his mouth closed before he bled to death, making sure those pained eyes looked at him. "Itachi Uchiha will never come for you."
,,,,,,,
Sasuke woke up in pain, which wasn't strange for him. Not after one of his nightmares, but what was strange was the way he had awoken. He often dreamed of those chains. They were a plague throughout his life. He was terrified to be handcuffed...terrified to be bound. Naruto had once tried to spice things up with him by tying him to the headboard, and Sasuke had had such a massive panic attack over it that Naruto had to hold him and calm him down for over three hours. That had only ended when he finally fell asleep after an entire bottle of sake and a few swigs of Sasori's medicine. ...Needless to say Naruto never tried that kinky bit of fun ever again.
He couldn't explain it. He didn't understand the nightmares or where they had come from. He couldn't explain his reaction to being tied up. Escape jutsus hadn't exactly been a dream growing up. Kakashi also had to deal with his panic attacks over the subject. He wasn't near as doting as Naruto was when he would be choking on his own tears, but Sasuke knew he cared.
Sasuke shifted, trying not to react to his pain and panic. He swayed slightly in the bindings, his headache coming on full force as he realized his arms were stretched above his head and that he was dangling above the ground. His toes wiggled a little, not able to reach the ground. ...Well...he supposed that explained the dream. He was in the exact same position he always was for those torture sessions.
Once he realized how he was bound, the panic began to set in regardless of his self control. His heart pounded in his chest, feeling like it was beating so fast it was ricocheting off his ribs. His head exploded, making him cringe despite himself as blood poured from his nose. His breathing became erratic as his lungs couldn't keep up with his heart. He was panting as he began to struggle, the blood pouring down onto his lips and into his mouth as he finally opened his eyes. ...Honestly...he wished he hadn't. He wished he had let himself live in that bliss ignorance that blindness provides.
"What's wrong with him?" He heard Deidara ask as some giant man worked on his arm. Sasuke's eyes scanned the room to see at least 8 others surrounding him. They were all in black cloaks with red clouds. ...The Akatsuki. He was tied up by the Akatsuki. His panic only increased. Every ounce of training he had in his life was fleeing from his mind. All he could think about was his nightmare. All he could feel was the cold bite of the chains digging into his wrist.
"He's terrified," Sasori mumbled, and Sasuke turned pleading eyes towards the traitor. ...The person he thought one of his closest friends. He would accept any help he could get at this point. Just no more of this...not ever. "Are you going to do something?" He asked, and Sasuke assumed he was talking to him, but his breathing had now become so erratic that he was beginning to become lightheaded. He struggled against the bindings, trying to feel for any weak point on the chain. He was dead, wasn't he? He was some dead animal hanging from a string as they waited to chop him up. He couldn't do anything. Sasori's ridiculously high standards were lost on him.
"Poor thing," Deidara cooed. "He's like a baby bunny trapped in a snare...just waiting for a hunter to come along and break his neck. He's pretty though. He looks a lot like you," There were spots in his eyes by this point, but Sasuke could see he was talking to someone other than Sasori. He looked around the room, trying to focus on a line of sight. However, he was too focused on the nightmare in his head to realize the nightmare he was currently in.
He saw one of them step out of the shadows, and if Sasuke had any breath at all it would have been taken away as he saw him. "Ta-chi…" He managed to get out between gasps as he saw that face. He was aged, of course he was, the last time he had seen Itachi he had been a teenager. Now he was in his early twenties and had grown into all of his features. His hair was longer than it had been, his eyes colder and more cruel. His mouth was set in a frown as he eyed him, and he could only imagine what he might be thinking about at this pathetic display. What was he doing here? His mind refused to make the connections in its panicked state, only struggling more in his bindings as he saw him.
Itachi stood in front of him then, and it was the closest he had been to his only brother since the night of the massacre when...no...Itachi didn't do it. It was that man...the man in the orange mask from the Akatsuki. It was a joke that he had thought his head had hurt before. It exploded as he saw Itachi, the other drawing closer to him as it all became too much...it was too much.
"Breathe, Otouto," Was the issued command, and Sasuke stilled in his bindings the moment he looked up into sharingan eyes. He had no doubt in his mind Itachi hadn't really asked. He was enthralled as he watched him. His dark eyes scanned every inch of that pale perfect face, as if he could memorize every detail before he disappeared from his life again. ...Before he left him again.
Sasuke's toes dangled off the ground as hands came up then, fingers pressing gently to each of his temples. Itachi massaged his head, and the second he touched him he let out a longing moan of appreciation. The pain ebbed away as if it had never even been there. For the first time in his life he felt utter peace in the battered thing he called his skull. It was better than the medicine. It was better than anything he had ever felt in his life. The pain wasn't just numbed from the medicine...it was gone...truly gone.
A very undignified sound came from his lips as Itachi's fingers continued to knead his temples, but he supposed that was alright. Everyone in the room had already seen how scared he was to be there. He supposed after that a little noise was just gravy. His toes curled at the wonderful feeling, finally calm enough to flicker his dark eyes up to Itachi's red. "What are you doing here?" He asked, his voice breathy and far away. He felt drugged the longer he looked into those eyes, like he really had taken the medicine. Itachi's fingers went to pull away then, and Sasuke made a noise of protest. "Don't...please...I can't handle the pain right now. I need to think."
Itachi had hesitated at his protest, but then slowly pulled his hands away anyways. "It won't hurt anymore," He told him, and Sasuke didn't buy for one second the confidence in his voice. It always hurt.
"How do you know?" Sasuke questioned, and for all he cared they might as well have been the only two in the room. His brother...after so long. He had found him. Fucking finally.
"I just do," Itachi assured him, and Sasuke smiled at him then. He forgot the self-confidence his brother always exuded in any situation. He had forgotten so much about him.
"No doubt," Sasuke bit his lip to try to dull the smile, but he couldn't quite manage it. "My genius Aniki always did know everything." His eyes did flicker around then, seeing the Akatsuki surrounding them now. "Are you going to kill me?"
Itachi rose an eyebrow, and he almost looked...amused. "Are you going to make me?" He reached out then, thumb dragging across Sasuke's bottom lip and coming away red. "You're a mess."
Sasuke gave a wry chuckle at that, swallowing hard as he nodded. "Headaches...they're a bitch, but then you already knew that, right? Sasori is standing just over there. I should have known."
"There are a lot of things you should have known, Otouto. Please enlighten me to what you're referring to?" Itachi asked mockingly.
"That you were here...That he's controlling you," Sasuke accused.
"He?" Itachi questioned, and Sasuke's eyes flickered around as he heard the laughing coming from around the room.
Sasuke glowered at them, feeling his heart rate spike at the loss of focus. He turned back to Itachi, his eyes harder now, amusement gone. He had never liked being laughed at. "The man with the orange mask."
He saw recognition flicker on his face. Not only that, but pain. He saw tragedy and death in Itachi's features, before that veiled amusement was back to wash away the sorrow. "You're right about one thing, he did control me. He's dead though. For 10 years now."
"You're lying!" Sasuke growled, trying to rock in his chains and hissing as it jarred his shoulders.
"Trust me, Otouto...I wouldn't lie about him," He said it like a promise. Itachi sighed, eyes dragging over his form that was covered in blood. "He was very special to me."
"He was a murderer!" Sasuke bit right back, sharingan flooding to his eyes as he glared hatred at his brother for defending the slaughterer of their clan. The ruiner of their lives!
"Yes," Itachi agreed. "Have you never killed anyone before, Otouto? Were you not training to be an assassin with Sasori?"
"That's different," Sasuke growled. "He took away 'our' life. He took away 'our' people," He said it with such force and conviction that it felt like he had been slapped when Itachi began to laugh. His eyes were wide as he stared at him incredulously.
"Sasuke, you really did it this time," He said his name, and yet for some reason, it didn't seem like he actually met him. "What a fairytale you've been spun, Otouto." He said, dark humor etched into his face as he reached out, hands closing around his ribs as he pulled him close. "Would you like me to enlighten you?" He questioned, and Sasuke could smell the trees on his skin...the outdoor scent mixed with spice was almost exotic on his brother. "I. Killed. Them." He said pointedly, every word a dagger in his gut. "All of them. I will 'never' let him take that sin." Nails dug into his skin as he was yanked even closer. Their bodies pressed together as Sasuke ignored the pulse through his libido. Strangely enough...the headaches didn't come. "You're so good at hurting everyone, aren't you? As long as you hurt yourself the most."
Sasuke ignored the strange statement in lieu of what he had just heard. "He controlled you. He told me he told. He told me he made you," He ignored the way the tone in his voice was beginning to break as his world exploded. "You wouldn't. Why would you?" There was a strange almost gurgling quality to his voice as he stared into those cruel eyes. "They were our family!"
"You're my family," Itachi argued. He let Sasuke go as he swung slightly back in his chains. Itachi backed up as he motioned around. "Sasuke Uchiha, meet the Akatsuki. I know you've been searching when let off your leash."
"You're part of them? The ruiners of the world?" He questioned. "You should be so proud, Aniki. You're working for the devil."
"Umm duhhhh Puppy. He isn't working for us," Deidara said in amusement, and Sasuke glanced as the huge man was sewing on his new arm. "He's our Leader."
Sasuke's stomach dropped at that, and he noticed the dark look Itachi shot towards Deidara. The blond sunk back into the shadows, obviously terrified. Sasuke couldn't care less if that bastard got in trouble. Not with what he had just learned. Rage welled up in his veins as it exploded. Chakra lashed up both of his arms and spiraled up the chain as electricity covered his body with the conduction.
"You son of a bitch!" He screamed, swinging his body using the chakra as he led with his foot. He smashed his sandal into Itachi's face, the electricity exploding down his leg with chidori as it met at the same point of impact. He felt bone and sinew break and give, before exploding into a mass of crows. A substitution jutsu. He didn't even know why he was surprised. "Don't hide from me!" He screamed, and growled as he was grabbed from behind. A kunai was placed at his throat, quieting his fighting actions as it pressed to his pulse.
"What was your plan here, Otouto? You going to smash my face in while chained and then take on 9 other Akatsuki members?" He questioned directly into his ear. The voice sent a shiver down his spine even in his rage.
"I'd settle for just smashing in your face," Sasuke growled right back at him. "You going to kill me like the rest of our clan? Do it...or watch your back for the rest of your life you traitor because I swear to the gods I will kill you!"
"Let's not play that game again, Otouto. You lose...trust me." Sasuke turned his face towards Itachi, spitting in his face.
He watched Itachi wipe the splatter from the eyes so similar to his own. "I'm never going to trust you again. I trusted you for 10 years. I defended you to the Hokage...to the council! I defended you to Obito and Kakashi."
He heard more laughter in the room at that, and he hated them all. He despised them for taking the image of his brother away from him. "Enough!" He heard Itachi hiss, and realized he wasn't talking to him. "My brother has had enough secrets for today."
Sasuke turned back to him, still dangling in the same chains as he lost the innocence of his childhood. He had 'always' believed in Itachi. He had believed that someday his niisan would come back for him, but Itachi Uchiha would never come for him. "More secrets?" He asked, remembering Sasori's words. "Who else has been lying to me?"
"I assume a lot of people, Otouto. Quite a few by my bidding, but as I said we aren't going to talk about that tonight." He murmured, and the kunai began to trail down his neck. "I'm more interested in how you can finally prove you're worth a damn and help us."
Sasuke's sharingan eyes flickered to his brother's, noticing the way the kunai had begun to travel lower, trailing down his chest. Itachi was close, holding onto one hip as he didn't seem to mind what he was doing in front of the other members. Why was he touching him so casually? Why weren't the headaches coming? "I'd sooner bite off my own tongue." He hissed softly, trying to pull away as his chin was grabbed.
"You'd be surprised how resilient the human mouth is," Itachi whispered, and a shiver ran down his spine as the knife pressed against his belly.
"You're psychotic," Sasuke whispered right back in reply, feeling Itachi's soft breath against his face.
Fingertips traced along his cheek then as those familiar sharingan eyes flickered over his features. "Very much so, Otouto. Someday soon I will show you how much, but I don't think you're ready for that yet." Lips pressed gently against his ear. "But you will be,"
"Itachi, don't you think we should question him?" Sasori asked, and Sasuke broke his eyes away from his brother's and whatever wicked jutsu he was trying to put him under.
"Does it not look like I'm questioning him?" Itachi questioned, and the kunai pressed hard against his stomach as he heard the tense anger in his voice.
"Honestly?" Sasori questioned. "I don't know what the hell it looks like you're doing. I didn't bring him here to be molested." The temperature in the room dropped several degrees as he didn't want to be his sensei with the way Itachi was looking at him. There was stillness for about 20 seconds before Sasori collapsed all the way across the room. Sasuke knew Sasori didn't feel pain, so whatever Itachi had done to him must have been much worse.
"Get him out of here," Itachi hissed to the other members, and Sasuke saw Deidara quickly help Sasori to his feet.
"Can I at least watch..." The blond tried, but was interrupted.
"Now Deidara," Itachi bit out, mood obviously sour as the other no longer hesistated as he escorted Sasori out of the room. Leaving seven still surrounding them. ...Seven was better than nine.
"Not that great of a Leader, are you? Guess you had to be bad at something in your life." He said sarcastically, still glowering at his brother as he was pulled close. "Are you molesting me, Niisan?" For some reason the disgust he knew he should be feeling wasn't there. Maybe it was because the betrayal in his life had already hit his limits, maybe it was because he had been dreaming of such a thing for years.
"Are you letting me?" Itachi asked after thinking about it. "What do you dream about?" He whispered into his ear, and his voice held an almost wistful searching desperation. The kunai dragged lower, catching on his dark pants and dragging them down at the waistband.
"You," He managed, refusing to lie to this bastard who did nothing but lie to him.
Itachi seemed amused at the honesty, as if he already knew the answer. Of course he did. "Good dreams I hope?"
"I thought they were," Sasuke clipped back. "But I'll just make sure to add them to my growing list of nightmares from now on," He had so many these days, what were a few more?
Itachi dragged the knife down his hip, and froze as it was revealed. Sasuke gasped as he was twisted at an unnatural angle in the chains to face his brother. His shoulder strained at the ball joint, close to popping out as he grit his teeth with the pain. He tried to kick him again, but Itachi had an almost death like grip on his waist.
Sasuke wanted to kill him. He wanted to attach him for causing him yet another round of pain tonight, but when he looked up he couldn't bring himself to try. Itachi looked stricken. The color had drained from his already pale face, making him almost luminous in the candle lit room. His eyes had faded from the sharingan, leaving him standing there with the dark pools Sasuke hadn't seen since he was a child. He was staring down at where his kunai had dragged, and Sasuke's own eyes followed his brother's down to the tattoo on his skin.
He blushed at the scrutiny of it, not knowing if the reason Itachi looked like this was that he was angry he would get the Uchiha mark. He had always wanted it there, the Uchiha fan, and him and Naruto had gotten too drunk one night and he couldn't talk himself out of it anymore. He had been drawing it there for years after all, and he was sick of Naruto mocking him for it.
"Itachi!" Sasuke screeched as hands reacted mercilessly as they ripped his pants halfway off, revealing more than a little of the dark curls of hair leading towards a place he would rather not expose to all of the Akatsuki. "What the hell is your problem!?"
"Why do you have it!?" Itachi all but screamed, and Sasuke saw more emotion etched across his brother's normally cold features than he thought he ever had. Itachi looked horrified. He looked like he was going to be sick. His thumb reached out, tracing over the mark almost reverently, which was a complete contrast to the horror across his features.
"It's a tattoo, Itachi! I can get a tattoo of my clan if I want to!" He tried, and the more he wriggled the more his pants began to slide down. "Let go of me you sick bastard!"
Itachi threw him. He swung so hard in the chains that he felt his shoulder snap like a twig. He cried out at the pain, glaring more at Itachi through it as he now hung at an unnatural angle. Pain lashed through his spine, and the headache came back full force.
"Did you think actually think I had any interest in you?" Itachi growled, and his eyes now held the mangekyou sharingan in his anger. Sasuke watched in fear and pain as the windmills swirled in his eyes. "You're. Not. Him." Sasuke's confusion was trampled by Itachi using his own sword to slice through the chain, sending him flying face first onto the floor. "Hidan!" Itachi bit out, obviously still more than a little upset as his normally stoic composure was shattered. "Take my brother and question him about the Kyuubi. I want to know everything about infiltration. Do not hold back because of who he is." Itachi glanced back at him one more time, and Sasuke saw the madness reflected deep the depths of those strange eyes. "Sasuke likes pain, consider it a birthday present, Otouto," He quipped before leaving the room. The door slammed in his ears as the one Itachi had called Hidan got close.
The pale haired man bent down in front of him, amusement stretched on his jovial features. "Don't worry little Uchiha, we're going to have fun."
,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.