Chapter 24: Deception.

Pairings: Naru/Sasu...duh.

Rating: K-T (looonng gone), M-NC-17

Disclaimer: I do not own the sheer genius "Naruto", Shippuden or other. The honours go to Masashi Kishimoto and his genius brain that created this masterpiece.

Summary: Remember that summer camp you went to; that quaint place out in the woods, by a lake, sitting around a campfire telling ghost stories and eating s'mores? Well this summer school sure as hell isn't that. Three months, Sasuke, teenage delinquents, illegal alcohol, prescription drugs, annoying shrinks, escape plans, a shitzu from hell, and new relationships; welcome to camp.

A/N: Kinda short but straight to the point.

A/N2: Interesting fact about me: I can curse in six languages; English, Spanish, French, Japanese, Russian and my lovely Jamaican Créole... yeah...connoisseur of cursing.

(*)(*)(*)

'...All warfare is based on deception.' – SunTzu, 'The Art of War'.

(*)(*)(*)

If Orochimaru had the knowledge of the Uchiha clan like he claimed he did, he should've known that fucking with people under a normal Uchiha's protection was going to cause major backlash. Messing with an abnormal one though, one like Sasuke; was a certified death sentence.

There was no possible way the snake bastard was getting away with an indirect attack on his brother; and Sasuke was going to find the perfect way of doing it.

'You don't play with an Uchiha...we're fucking fire.'

(*)(*)(*)

It was obvious Sasuke was in a ruthless mood. People scampered out of his way like petrified vermin but he hardly noticed as he went through the daily motions like a well-oiled machine; calisthenics, meals, classes; they all passed like an ephemeral ghost.

On the outside he looked completely attentive to everything, but the deepest echelons of his mind were on another, sinister platform. Every ominous thought running through his mind was centred on making Orochimaru pay for everything goddamn thing; the poisoning, the 'subtle' threats and the fire.

He had just returned from medical bay where a grim faced Tsunade had just drawn some more blood, performed a cheek swab for DNA and took a urine sample for analysis. Before she had let him go she had drilled him again with curt questions; like if he had any changes in muscle movements, balance, hearing, taste or digestion. After the minor inquisition he then fully admitted about the headaches and the insomnia.

Sasuke was trying hard to not allow the revelation of the virus in his body to develop into full psychosomatic paranoia; he knew if he worried about it, it would just get worse.

Tsunade, however, seemed a brilliant doctor. Case in point, she had almost singlehandedly cured a disease most people thought was incurable, so as of now, he was giving the doctor a week exactly to isolate the pathogen; if she didn't he was going to tell her.

The question was...how? How to tell her and not blow every- goddamn-thing to smithereens?

But right now he had another major issue to focus on. Pushing the library's door open he breathed in the deep musk of leather bound books and ageing parchment paper. There was only one book he knew he could get sensible advice from; and it had to be here.

With a quick scan on the library's categorical divisions he went to the second level, found the book he was searching for and quickly pulled down one of his favourite classics, 'The Art of War,' by Sun Tzu (1).

The book had it all: proven techniques, ancient military tactics, wining strategies; psychological and psychical warfare, manipulations, deception...wait...deception. The strongest point in the book advocated that misleading an opponent was the primary factor in winning a battle. Deception... that was it.

Perfect.

But how was he going to mislead a man who had been so saturated in deceitful activities that there was a ninety percent chance he would see through it immediately? He had to find a weak spot; something persuasive... something that would make the man so disturbed he wouldn't even try to refute it.

Then it struck; Pein.

(*)(*)(*)

He was taking the risk of his life slipping down to the basement in plain daylight while the majority of the populace were at lunch in the mess hall. The second he entered the dungeon a vicious sneeze wracked the entirety of his body. Damn...he had forgotten about the vile odour in the place.

Muffling his nose he crept to the holding place. It was obvious that Pein was working really hard and smart. Gaping at him was a solid square foot wide hole above the floor level at one of the wall's pivotal foundations juncture. The structural integrity of the wall was breaking down and soon enough, paired with the right leverage, the whole thing would crumble to dust and Pein would be free.

Impressive.

"Pein." He called leaning on the wall.

"Ah...Chidori." the man replied sounding relieved, "...haven't heard from you in a while...what have you been up to?"

"Currently; I'm trying to settle a score." He replied knowing the man would catch on.

"Let me guess...Orochimaru..." a sigh, "...what has he done now?"

"He staged a... 'accident' for my brother and his new boyfriend... Renjii's older sibling; Kisame. His apartment building burnt down last night."

"...and I'm assuming you are going to do some major payback."

Sasuke grinned, "Absolutely. My family has a... patented way of settling scores and it's very...unpleasant. The thing is we don't go on the same level, we take it a step further. I reasoned that since he attacked something precious to me; I'd attack something precious to him...and that includes you."

"Really... how..." the man sounded very interested, "...what are you planning?"

"Deception, Pien... tried and true deception..." He replied, "It requires a cast of your thumb, some fake blood and an Oscar worthy performance... I'm going to fuck with his mind so hard he's going to have an aneurism."

(*)(*)(*)

"Team seven, team thirteen and team eighteen," Ibiki shouted clearly angry, "...back quad duty NOW; those leaves are piling up."

Naruto scowled, flipping his mechanics textbook closed; "Is there any way Ibiki can talk without sounding pissed off or homicidal?"

Sasuke's left eyebrow was twitching in complete annoyance. It was break time between the last cali and extracurricular activities; a space of time where Sasuke had wanted to use to fully map out the strategy he was going to use against Orochimaru but typically; another... fucking... distraction.

Sighing he pushed off from the bench, made his way outside and surly grabbed the rake he was handed. Brisk breeze ruffled his bangs he held up a hand to shield his eyes from the dust the breeze was flinging into his face. He managed to not start like a wild-eye doe when he heard Neji's smooth cultured voice behind him.

"You have that look on you face again."

"What look?" he asked feigning innocence.

The high-ponytailed Hyuuga snorted wiggling his fingers into the protective gloves. "Most people can't see through you Sasuke...but I still can." A long lock of silkily hair fluttered over Neji's left eye, "... You're planning something."

"Even if I was," he replied distantly looking Neji in the eye, "...what's it to you?"

The Hyuuga heir grabbed didn't flinch, he just matched the stare. "Whatever it is... just don't get hurt again."

Sasuke grimaced, knowing full well what Neji was referring to, something they had dubbed, 'The Incident'; the one where, at eleven years old, Sasuke had planned for days to get back at an older kid for teasing the long haired Hyuuga. Unfortunately, his finely tuned plan had devolved to a fist fight at the last minute. Even though it had worked to get the kid expelled he had ended up with an arm broken in two places.

The phantom recollection of the snapping bone pulsed through his skin. He shivered; bad memory.

"Hey... earth to Uchiha."

Sasuke snapped out of the memory to face a slightly concerned Naruto; whiskered face frowning and holding a weed-whacker. "Where'd you go?"

"Nowhere important," he shrugged. His eyes narrowed slightly, "...speaking of 'going'... where have you been going off to lately?"

Blue eyes widened for a nanosecond then face stretched into a lupine grin. "Talking with Neji's cousin; apparently she and her dad are in town on some fancy business thing; she's been visiting me."

Sasuke went still; left eye twitching. Hinata Hyuuga; the privileged princess of the Hyuuga dynasty, the heiress of the most lucrative lawyer firm in the five countries, number four on the list of the top eligible bachelorettes in the combined nations...was...visiting...Naruto.

Before he knew what happened he had tackled the blond to the ground; gripping handfuls of faded orange shirt in both fists he growled inches before the surprised bronzed face, "What does she want?"

The blond spluttered incoherently, blue eyes were wide with shock.

"Yo!" TenTen's playful voice yelled from some feet away, "Are you two crazy bastards going to fight or make out right there, 'cause either way... I so wanna watch."

Sasuke ignored the acrobat's playful jeer and stared into Naruto's eyes, searing his words into the blonde's brain. "Answer me." he pressed.

Dark golden brow arched, "Nothing; she just wanted to chat...what's your problem with her anyway... she's harmless."

"Hyuuga's are not harmless..." he said outwardly while his mind was shouting, 'and I don't share!'. "...remember that." with that said he pushed off him and grabbed the discarded rake, blankly facing a grinning TenTen and a blushing Moegi.

"Nice." She approved her grin getting wider as she leaned on the shovel's handle.

"...TenTen about the..." He trailed off stopping beside the weapons trader but facing the opposite direction. "...are you sure you still want to do this?" He murmured.

She scoffed, "It's an elaborate weapon Uchiha; my business is weapons...what do you think?"

"Hn." He snorted.

(*)(*)(*)

"Udon," Sasuke murmured to the young kitchen aid, "...are you still willing to get things for me?"

The boy started in surprise at the sudden attention the raven was now paying him. "S...sure...what do you need?"

"Just some kitchen stuff," he replied, "...corn starch, corn syrup, red and yellow food colouring and some cocoa...I'm playing a prank on my roommate."

The kid was clearly confused then he shrugged; "... strange... but sure... wait here..." he scampered off to the kitchen direction.

He had to pull this off perfectly; not a vector off or else the repercussions would be disastrous. It was a gamble of the highest proportions, the stake was massive and if done right the payoff would be enormous.

"Here," the kid said panting as he handed Sasuke a small sack which he peered into. Everything was there. "...I did good, right?"

"Yes..." he replied with a small smile, "...very much so..."

(*)(*)(*)

Silicone or plaster….silicone or plaster…silicone…

Sasuke slowly meandered through the shelves of the gardening shed seeking the main material for the cast. He had been thinking about how to make the cast's complexion believable and not like the insipid visage of a ghost, but he fanned that idea away a second later. So many months without sunlight or fresh air; the man had be pale like an albino rat. Besides, it was going to be covered with fake blood; no one in their sane mind would actually check under that... right?

Silicone...

Shifting to the masonry section his eyes finally lit up on a small package of the material. Signing the tube out he then went back to the dorm; determination edged into every line in his face.

(*)(*)(*)

"Is it hardening?" Sasuke asked, sitting on the floor, his warmly clothed back braced on the crumbling wall just beside the hole.

"It is..." Pein replied, "...perfectly...but Chidori...have you thought about the odds of him checking further?"

"Yes, I have," the raven replied, flicking loose pebbles on the opposite wall, "...but I've decided that with all the blood I'm going to put on it, normal people wouldn't dare search under."

A small snicker, "That's the problem...Orochimaru isn't normal. Regardless, I have something that I know will fully convince him; with this I can promise you he won't dig deeper."

Curious. "And that is?"

"A ring he gave me...all of his subordinates actually...it's how he keeps track of us. I'm still amazed that he thinks we don't know about the 'secret' GPS tracker embedded in it. Here..."

A little shuffle and with a push through the hole in the wall, a small thumb sized ring sporting a cobalt like stone engraved with a black 'Rei' character. "It'll work...trust me...use it."

"...thank you."

(*)(*)(*)

The cast of Pein's thumb, down to the wrinkles of skin and the outline of the fingernail, was perfect. He had used a tiny bit of the concealer Kin had given him to make it more flesh-toned. Sasuke then glanced down at the bowl of the fake blood and tried to not shiver. If he hadn't just made it he would've sworn it was real, fresh let artery blood.

Carefully he slipped the ring down just above the first knuckle and then, even more carefully, stuffed torn up tissue paper into the small opening. Using the end of a ripped up rag he liberally pasted the blood over the end so it looked exactly like a clinical amputation; then splattered drops of the liquid over the length of it.

Leaning back he observed his work with revolted admiration. 'Fuck with fire, you're going to get burned.'

(*)(*)(*)

The room they met in was freezing cold as usual but Sasuke's visage was even more subterraneous artic. He didn't even give the man the chance to even open his mouth to spew the hypocritical platitudes about the fire that Sasuke knew he was coming with.

"Save it." he snapped icily flinging the bloodied cloth on the nearest table, "You shouldn't have messed with Itachi... so I messed with something close to you."

The man's eyebrows contracted, serpentine orbs flickering down to the bundle in plain curiosity. "Go ahead...open it." he ordered.

Delicate spider like fingers unwrapped the bloody towel and went extremely pale. Amber eyes opened wide; suspended hand trembling at seeing the ring on the severed thumb. "You didn't-"

Time for the tap dance; Sasuke pulled on the most infuriating memory he had and the emerging rage showed on his face.

"I did, and be assured I will do it again." He snarled while a part of his mind marvelled on the fact that Pein was absolutely right. "I assuming you don't want to have your precious Pein losing anymore body parts, do you?" Sasuke asked stonily.

Orochimaru visibly swallowed. Slowly he slid the ring from the severed finger and clasped it in his hand while the other handed the stained bundle back to the Uchiha; "No... I'd rather not."

Jackpot.

"Next time it will be his entire hand." Sasuke hissed, "Do. Not. Fucking. Play. With. Me."

(*)(*)(*)

"Well," Naruto said kicking off his boots as he entered the door, "You look extremely pleased with yourself."

"I am." He replied succinctly and smugly. It had been five hours after the meeting with Orochimaru and he was still marvelling how the ruse had gone so smoothly; like oil over water. He felt like he was walking on literal air.

The blond sat down on the edge of his bed, brushing back sweat soaked locks, "About Hinata, yo-"

"Doesn't matter," Sasuke cut in, getting up and pushing Naruto fully on the bed behind him and crawling over him like a prowling wolf, "...like you said...she's not a threat."

A beat.

Tan hands reached down and grabbed under Sasuke's knees, pulled them a smidgen more apart and with a swift twist the Uchiha found himself on his back, knees wrapped around a corded waist. Sitting up Naruto silently reached down and ripped his shirt and undershirt off, baring his tan muscled torso to the raven under him.

"Teme...I was going to say; your jealously was very amusing...she's cute but way too delicate for me."

Sasuke didn't hear a word; staring at the bronzed torso his pale fingertips traced over small, almost invisible scars he hadn't seen before; starting from Naruto's abdomen to his right pectoral. Completely immersed in tracing along the silvery roadmap, he didn't realize that with every touch, sapphire eyes were darkening with desire to unfathomable blue.

In a second Sasuke's arms were captured and pinned over his head as the compact mass of Naruto's body settled fully on him; forcing their throbbing erections together.

Sasuke hissed and threw his head back, pelvis rocking up to meet the heat and the pressure. It felt so fucking good; hard, hot and raw. Together they moved like flowing energy, action to meet reaction, force against counterforce. Hot humid breaths brushed each other's faces, forming a cloud of desperation. Sweat was beading on the Uchiha's forehead; his black eyes clenched tight.

Sasuke felt the tightening in his lower belly building...building...climbing sky high until he couldn't contain it. It had been so long...so damn long that he had felt pleasure like this, it almost seemed alien. Desire was rippling over his skin like flood waves, his back arched, his fingernails sunk into tan skin.

He came screaming soundlessly.

(*)(*)(*)

**** Teacher's Lounge, 9 a.m. *****

"Kakashi," Kurenai said holding up the staff lounge phone and wiggling it at him, "... call for you."

The psychoanalyst shot a grin to Iruka, crossed the floor and reached out for the handle, "Hatake here."

"Kakashi, it's Aoba," the police officer sounded tense. "...we have a situation down here...and I think it kind of involves you."

The silver haired psychoanalyst went very still; pale hand clutching the phone till his knuckles went white and bloodless. Wait...what the hell had happened? "What is it?"

"Remember that kid you were searching for...a Deva Yahiko...well, he's been found dead this morning; floated up in the canal, throat cleanly slashed."

(*)(*)(*)

The Art of War,' by Sun Tzu; awesome book, ancient Chinese war manual, try reading it.

(*)(*)(*)

Okay: so in case you missed it there is a hierarchy going on here:

First: Madara (triad leader, ultimate power) →Orochimaru (regional head) →Pein (operative).

Second: Yahiko works for Madara, not Orochimaru.

And third: Oro is punk bitch... just saying.

AND REVIEW DAMNIT!