Disclaimer: I still don't own Naruto
Warnings: This chapter contains yoai incest, violence, thoughts of murder, slight sexual content, vulgur language, blood, OOC, and now the canon starts to get really damaged (the next arc hurts it worse). This chapter is also longer than the last few that you read, but they only get longer as the story progresses. There are also a few mistakes in this, sorry if it makes you angry.
Pairings: ItaSasu, slight SasuSaku, some SasuNaru, a little bit of NaruSaku, traces of KakaIta, and a tiny sprinkle of ItaSaku (I don't ship this, it just happened)
He opened his eyes to a dark sky, was it finally night time? His body still ached, making it difficult for him to even move. His heart was still racing as memories of what he and his brother engaged in came soaring back to him. They had sex consensually. He could still hear the creaking of the mattress, his brother panting gently in his ear. He never wanted that moment to end, even if it was just a mere memory.
Moving closer, he kissed Itachi lightly on the neck gazing at the several dark marks that graced his flesh. Maybe it was a little more intense then they wanted it to be. He didn't want to imagine what had happened to his body from Itachi's harsh kisses. He must be worse off.
Breaking free of his brother embrace, he sat up in bed catching his breath pushing the disheveled hairs from his face. His body was sore, his breath tight in his chest, he was feeling the pain of his pleasure. Lifting the blankets off of his body he saw a sight that he feared would happen. On his inner thighs was a series of love bites. Damn, I didn't even notice… he is talented?
He stood out of bed gathering his clothes, his legs sore, stiff with passion. The pain was nothing in comparison to the night where he lost his virginity so brutally, there was no blood. The trace amounts of blood that stained his sheets were from Itachi's back where the scratches that Sasuke had embedded were located.
Itachi looks beautiful, Sasuke thought looking over at him as he got redressed. The fair porcelain flesh that Sasuke had fallen in love with was caked with sweat. His soft raven hair was tossed chaotically the tie that held it in a ponytail falling down his sweaty hair.
Sasuke touched his brother's face lightly hearing the breath escape his bloody lips his body moving lightly. He looked so kissable. His body was calling for Sasuke to caress. The soft sound of his breathing was hypnotizing the boy to no end drawing Sasuke closer to his brother his hands running through his long hair.
"I love you," he breathed kissing Itachi's lips lightly. Seeing Itachi like this again, so defenseless made him realize that his hate was growing weaker everyday. Did he even hate him anymore? Could he hate the man that he just allowed in his bed granting him entrance to his body again? How could he hate the man he had begged not to leave?
"Sasuke?" Itachi asked taking a deep breath. "You're awake? What time is it?"
"3 AM," Sasuke breathed. "You should go back to sleep."
"What about you?" Itachi looked straight into Sasuke's eyes. "Can't sleep?"
Sasuke shook his head. "No."
"Are you sick?"
Sasuke shook his head again. "I'm fine, brother…"
"Did I hurt you?" Itachi asked reaching out to gently stroke Sasuke's face.
"You were surprisingly very gentle with me," Sasuke answered. "It's just a little sore from all of the hickeys on my legs."
Itachi smirked. "I guess I got carried away. Now people will suspect…"
"I don't care," Sasuke sighed. "Whatever they say I'm not going to let them get to you, Itachi, you're my battle and the last thing that I want is for you to be killed because I was too weak. If I can't kill you no one can."
"Like Kakashi," Itachi breathed. "You do understand that what I did to Kakashi was necessary. I know that it ignited more hate for me, hate that I won't be able to diminish. But it did more than that; I know that you're wasted on him. He's suffocating you, Sasuke."
Sasuke shook his head. "You're wrong."
"He doesn't want you to reach your full potential," Itachi answered, "because he's scared of what you can do. You can do more than he ever could; you're worth more than he is, and it pains me to see this, with him, dying right before my eyes."
"Kakashi isn't one to hold me back," Sasuke sighed. "You're out of your mind, Itachi. What makes you think that I would ever listen to you? You think you have all of the answers, and maybe you do, but I made a promise to Konoha, I won't betray them."
Itachi sat up in bed. "You think they appreciate you, maybe they do, but one day, they will exclude you and toss you away. I know what that's like and I saw my wrongs. All that I did was not for them, it was for me, but to be accepted by someone, not be pushed, be respected, it made me actually happy. Now, I have nothing because I got set aside prematurely."
"Don't give me that sap story," Sasuke snapped, shaking his head. "I don't want to hear what a real ninja does and doesn't do. I went to the Academy and was one of the top students; I know how the art of ninja works. You distort it so it fits your own purpose, fabricating a long journey of pain and perfection," his voice was shaking. "I don't walk the same path as you."
"I don't want you to walk that path," Itachi warned. "It only will break you."
Sasuke wrapped his arms around Itachi's body holding onto him tighter. "I'm already broken, Itachi. Didn't you know that after all of this time? The second that I was born I was destined to be broken; I was after all your little brother. You were the perfect ninja, and I wanted to be you. I wanted to be accepted by you. I want to walk down your path so we could share something real, something more than just hate for our father."
"Then join me," Itachi stated quietly.
Sasuke's eyes looked up into Itachi's dark eyes. "Is this what you wanted?"
"I want you to get me the fox and destroy the power so that no one will ever be able to take it away from us. For years I was waiting for the right time to get you, and this is it, Sasuke, I want you to come with me," Itachi kissed Sasuke's lips his tongue slipping past his lips holding him tighter than before.
"Join you?" Sasuke asked as he backed away. "Itachi…?"
"You wanted power to kill me," Itachi breathed. "If you do this for me… I'll let you destroy me. Your dream will come true for once in your life. Self sacrifice is the number one rule of ninja art."
"I don't know if I want that," Sasuke's voice was shaking. "I'm scared of you."
"Scared?" Itachi asked. "Why?"
"You kill everyone who's close to you, and I know that you're using these words so you can get me on your side. It won't work, if you genuinely love me, you wouldn't be forcing me to…" Sasuke whimpered.
"I'm not forcing you to do anything," Itachi sighed getting out of the bed. "Just say no, Sasuke. I'll go get the fox on my own."
"What?" Sasuke asked surprised as Itachi's response. "That's it? You're leaving? All I had to say was no?"
Itachi pulled his shirt over his head. "You thought that I was going to kill you if you said no? I'm not going to kill you, I'm going to walk out of the door and out of your life again, Sasuke. I have business to tend to."
"Are you going to keep running away?" Sasuke asked. "Are you going to leave me alone again, Itachi? When are you going to face your problems and look at me straight in the eyes? Look at me and tell me how you really feel. Tell me!"
Black eyes looked straight at the young boy. "I love you, Sasuke, but I can no longer burden you with issues that you are too young to handle. Walking down the road that I asked you is a high risk. I'm an S-class criminal, if it comes down to it and I need your full allegiance, you might never be able to go back."
Sasuke swallowed hard watching his brother tie his forehead protector back on. The slash through the Konoha emblem sent chills down his spine. He disconnected from the village that turned their back on him, the clan that used him, and now he was disconnected from the organization that had dropped him from their roster. It was not a slash to disconnect from the village; it was a slash to his soul disconnecting from life.
"I'll risk it," Sasuke answered. "You talked about how it pained you to know that I was never going to amount to anything if they kept holding me back. You wanted to unleash my potential and I'm going to let you." he reached for him. "I pledge my allegiance to you, make a pact that says I will never deceive you. I love you more than anything too, Itachi, and I don't want to watch you walk away again. Call me pathetic; call me weak, I probably am, but I don't have enough sanity to watch you go, not now not when I need you."
"Sasuke?" Itachi asked looking down at him. "You'd sacrifice everything you have for me? What purpose is driving you to this sudden change?"
"Like you said," Sasuke stated his body shaking. "Self sacrifice is one of the number one principles of being a ninja. I will help you get your dream. That is my new goal, I will revert you back to the brother that I loved, the one that I wanted more than I wanted to live. I'm going to destroy the beast you've become."
Itachi held Sasuke close to his body kissing at his forehead lightly. "There's no going back after we do this. Is your hate for the village strong enough? Or should we augment it?"
"That won't be necessary," Sasuke breathed. "I just want to know why they dropped you. You're an amazing ninja, and for someone at your age you're ungodly. Why would they let you go of all people?"
"I've been wondering the same thing," Itachi breathed stroking Sasuke's back. "I guess I was too strong for them, but now I'm going to get my revenge. They're going to be sorry that they ever messed with me."
Hands ran underneath Itachi's shirt feeling the soft flesh underneath, lips clashing in an intense battle of strength. Gravity took control as they fell back to the mattress still kissing each other, moans loud in their ears. Passion swirled through their bodies as Sasuke held Itachi close not letting him even think about going to the door. Sasuke poured his soul into his lips his tongue intermingling with Itachi's in an epic battle.
The same warmth filled his body as he felt last night, his brain starting to swirl from the lack of oxygen thorugh his veins. He back away slowly as he looked into Itachis's eyes, he was here to stay until he could easily get out without Sasuke knowing. Thoughts of insomnia plagued Sasuke's mind as he thought that his brother would leave him. He didn't want to be without him anymore. He couldn't live like that anymore.
"Don't go," Sasuke begged.
"You're acting stranger?" Itachi purred, kissing at Sasuke's jaw line.
"You don't trust me?" Sasuke giggled.
"Am I supposed to trust you? For the past four years you've been trying to kill me, Sasuke. I'll trust you when I know that my dignity isn't in danger," he bit lightly as Sasuke moaned loudly. "Or when I feel that you can actually murder me."
"Why are you so giddy" Sasuke asked in a mocking tone.
"I'm waiting for the right moment, and that's not tonight, not here," Itachi's voice was a low moan. "I know that you want a bloody death, a painful death, and I'm going to let you have it. But you have to earn it."
He kissed him again pushing Sasuke deeper into the mattress his hands being pinned down. The passion swirled feeling the way his brother was dominating him, invading his mouth with his tongue. He felt responsive to all of his advances and started to breathe heavily a blush rolling to his cheeks his body on fire. Swirling colors went through the center of his brain clouding his vision. Lost in the passion he moved his legs farther apart letting his brother in between.
"Too soon," Sasuke breathed backing away. "My body, it's not ready for more."
"I can tell, you're worn out from last night," Itachi breathed. "You should rest."
"I don't want you to leave, Itachi," Sasuke begged pushing his legs together tighter, wrapping his legs to encircle him. "And like I said before, I'm not going to let you leave, not after all of the trouble you gave me. I made a pact in blood; I promise that I will serve you in your quest for revenge in exchange for your life, that is, if I still want to take your miserable life."
"A deal's a deal," he breathed his tongue running along the bridge of Sasuke's nose. "I'll stay here until I need to leave."
"You don't need to," Sasuke purred. "I want you here with me, just for a little while longer. We haven't even discussed that lovely plan of yours. I'm here to help you get back at those bastards. And I want you to unleash my potential like you said you would."
"It's hard work," Itachi panted trying to back away. "Your sharingan still hasn't fully developed, but that's what I'm here for. I'm going to teach you how to master it without having that deceitful bandit show you how. His body won't be able to take the pressure that yours can, you're a true heir of the kekkei genkei; it's in your blood."
"How long will it take?" the young boy asked.
"If it gets to the point where your body has become too weak to hold the burden then it might take months or years. That's why if you pledge allegiance to me there's no turning back, once you sell your soul it's gone forever. Are you ready to sacrifice everything to me: your body, your heart, your soul, everything that you hold dear to your heart? Will you give it all away to me? Will you serve me and be my companion, be with me?"
Sasuke's eyes filled with shock. "Itachi… what are you asking me to do?"
"I want you to be with me," the older ninja breathed. "I want to make you mine."
Sasuke breathed harder his eyes closing. "I'll give you everything that you want, everything that I am is going to be yours for as long as you need my services…"
"And I'll pay with my life," Itachi grinned placing one of Sasuke's hand over his chest. "This can all be gone as soon as the fox is dead, only if you want it to be though. You're always welcome to change your mind."
"Change my mind?" Sasuke asked. "I want to kill you, I need to kill you."
"Why?" Itachi raised an eyebrow. "For the clan? For Shisui? Why are you seeking me out, when you tell me that you love me? What is the purpose Sasuke?"
Sasuke took a deep breath closing his eyes. "To prove to myself that I don't love you, Itachi. I want to hate you for everything that you did to me. You took my heart, you lied to me, you took everything I held dear. But you make me so happy, and I hate myself for gaining that happiness. I don't want you as the source. You're my brother. You're a murderer"
"So?" Itachi asked.
"That's incest," Sasuke said bluntly.
"And when did that ever matter to you?" Itachi questioned with a smile. "All of this time you were secretly hiding your feelings, transforming it into hate for me. Your hate was never strong enough, Sasuke. Ever since you were young I saw the way you looked at me, I caught on to the way that you giggled when I held you in my arms. I could see the blush as I kissed your forehead. You've wanted to be incestuous."
"You thrust yourself upon me," the young boy breathed. "I couldn't get you out of my mind. Throughout the day when I saw you walking around the house, I wanted you to hold me. And now… now that I've matured it's not different, but now I understand that my body wants to surrender to you, relinquish all control to you."
"Then let go," another kiss was formed, Itachi's warm lips dominating, his tongue lashing out into Sasuke's mouth. "Do what your body wants."
"I am," Sasuke breathed. "I have been doing what my body wants. I feel attracted to you and I can't let you go. Damn you, all of this time I thought I was able to kill you, until you came back I was ready. I was growing strong just for you…"
"And you can grow stronger for me, for my blood up against your hands," Itachi's voice grew weak as he closed his eyes. "You've already gotten close to my imminent death. I can barely breathe."
"Can't you use medical ninjutsu?" Sasuke asked.
"You think I know medical ninjutsu?" Itachi breathed. "If I did would either of us would be in this situation? I can go on with this pain, I'm strong, Sasuke. I don't give up when faced with a challenge. I won't die."
"Itachi…" Sasuke whimpered.
"I won't die…" Itachi assured him.
"I'm sorry," Sasuke breathed pressing a hand up against Itachi's chest. "You must be in a lot of pain."
"You just came from the hospital," Itachi smiled. "My pain is nothing…"
"Don't act so nonchalant about this, they were overreacting when they put me on oxygen, I could breathe perfectly once they cleared my lungs. But your lungs must be slowly filling with blood. Is that why you're making this pact, because you're dying? Is this a pact or death for you?"
Itachi sighed. "I'm running out of time, Sasuke."
"I knew it," Sasuke answered loosening his grip on his brother. "Why would you come back here after what I did to you? Are you out of your mind? You're dying, Itachi… I… I killed you. I did that to you."
"That's what you wanted though, isn't it?" Itachi asked his breath was heavy. "You got your dream sooner than you thought. You wanted to kill me… here's your chance. I have only a minimal amount of time to get all of this done."
Sasuke closed his eyes. Not if I have anything to do with it. I'm going to save your life and keep my end of the bargain. Naruto, you're life is mine! If that's the only way that I can stop all of this madness and prevent another tragedy like Kakashi then so be it. I'm not going to lose Itachi again; I'm not going to lose him because I was weak.
"Minimal time?" Sasuke closed his eyes. "How long?"
"A few weeks," Itachi answered, "unless you suddenly learned medical ninjutsu. Even in my condition I'll handle the higher ninja in this quest; you bring me the fox's body. Can you handle it, Sasuke?"
The young boy moved closer to the heat of his brother's body repositioning himself to rest on the crook of his shoulder. "I'm not a child anymore, Itachi. I'm not the weak boy you left behind. You can trust me with the life of my best friend."
"I knew I could," Itachi grinned.
He kissed him on the lips running a hand through his hair, the sheets rustling. Sasuke felt Itachi breathing, it was harsh. Was he telling the truth to him? Was he really going to die that easily? No matter what the case, Naruto was as good as dead.
-----
"Do you think Sasuke can come out of bed yet?" Sakura asked sitting next to Kakashi looking over at Naruto. "I haven't seen him in a while. Is he alright?"
Naruto stared out the window; Sasuke should have been able to come out of his house by now. But he knew what was going on in Sasuke's heart. Guilt. He saw it as they all left the hospital hand in hand. His eyes had never looked that empty in all of their travels together. Did he think what happened to Kakashi was his fault?
"Naruto?" Sakura asked looking at him. "Are you alright?"
The blond boy looked at her. "Huh?"
"I was trying to talk to you," she smiled. "I was just wondering if you saw Sasuke out today. I haven't seen him in a while…"
His blue eyes closed as he remembered that day, looking straight into the eyes of death. He had never seen that much of Sasuke's blood in their time together. It couldn't be a repeat. Itachi wouldn't do the same crime to him twice would he? Sasuke was home lying down in his bed, that's what Naruto kept telling himself.
But what if… he closed his eyes trying to get the screams out of his head, the bloodshed, Sasuke was not going to let that happen again. After Naruto tried his hardest upload his promise he hoped that Sasuke would have the courtesy to uphold his.
"Hey," a voice greeted from the doorway. "Long time no see, huh?"
The two genin looked back to see their comrade at the door, in one piece. He had a forced smile on his face never taking his eyes off of Kakashi's body. His onyx eyes were blank and when Naruto looked deeply he saw trails where tears had once fallen. Sasuke was in pain with every step that he took forward, every step piercing Naruto through the heart.
"Sasuke," Sakura smiled. "I was wondering when you would get out of bed. We were starting to get worried."
The Uchiha walked closer to Kakashi's side with the slightest strand of hate in his eyes. There was something deep inside of him that he had been contemplating since the day when Kakashi fell. Did he hate Kakashi for not being strong enough? Or was what they were seeing a strand of self hatred for not seeing what the jounin was planning?
Naruto stood up. "Sasuke…"
Obsidian eyes looked over at him. "What do you want?" his voice was low like a sob. Just as Naruto had feared it was the second of his two choices. Sasuke was going to wind up hurting himself with the guilt. Naruto prayed he would never know how it felt to sit back and watch a person die when he knew full well that he could have done something. His prayer was too late, Sasuke was starting to die.
Naruto moved his hand to clasp Sasuke's looking up into his eyes sympathetically. "It wasn't your fault…"
Sasuke scowled. "You think you know everything, don't you?"
"I know that you couldn't have done anything," Naruto continued. "Kakashi-sensei risked his life to ensure that you were going to get out of that room in one piece, having no fear that you were going to die at Itachi's hands. Why can't you just admit that maybe someone cares about you?"
"Because no one in their right mind would ever want to throw himself in front of Itachi Uchiha no matter how much they cared about someone, Kakashi wasn't fighting for me; he was fighting for the village. Itachi's back you guys and I think that everyone should stay out of his way. He's after one thing, and I hope he gets it. Then he'll leave."
"Sasuke?" Naruto asked.
"Don't you see the pain he's caused? He's brutally attacking people without any sympathy. Apparently no one got the message with me; I'm alive because he wants me for some cosmic plan. I'm destined to do something," Sasuke looked back at them holding on tighter to Naruto's hand. "But I won't do it."
Man, that look in his eyes, it's not Sasuke at all. The Sasuke that I know would never look at me like that. The way that he looked at Kakashi, it wasn't right. It's like something has changed inside of him. Naruto held onto Sasuke's hand. I didn't want this I didn't want to lose him this easily. One night really can change a person forever.
"Naruto," Sasuke started as he looked at his friend. "Can I go with you somewhere, you know just spend the rest of the day together. I want to talk about something with you, but I never really got the chance when I was in the hospital. Now we can discuss it over ramen."
"You hate ramen," Naruto raised a suspicious eyebrow.
"No I don't," Sasuke argued.
"Whenever we go out and eat ramen, you always bitch about it. Sasuke, what's gotten into you? You're never this cold," Naruto stood up to look into swollen obsidian eyes hating the sight. "You can tell us what's wrong."
Dark eyes closed. "I'm fine, I swear I am," he looked back at Sakura. "You can stay out of it tonight when Naruto and I go out. The last thing I want is to get you involved in all of this nonsense."
She looked at him. "Okay… will you two be alright?"
Sasuke's eyes looked over at Kakashi and then back at her. "We'll be fine, don't you worry, Sakura. We'll both be back for you in the morning. I need to talk to you as well about something. Just you and me alone."
Green gazed into blue, something was wrong with Sasuke, he was acting strangely. The eyes that were filled with so much determination and ambition were now bland and filled with a burning hatred that they had never seen before. Maybe it was just the swollen areas around them, or maybe his split lips and bruises had to do with it. His body on its own was giving off a demonic feel, was it too late to save him from his road of self hatred?
He turned to walk out of the room. "I'll meet you downstairs, Naruto." In his wake was a chilling sensation.
"What's has gotten into him?" Naruto asked. "Did you see his eyes, he's been crying, Sakura. There's something wrong with him, something that I can't even begin to describe. He's been quieter than usual, and that tone in his voice."
Sakura looked out the window and then back at Kakashi. "Kakashi said that he was going to change after all the trauma that he's been through. His mind is somewhere else, he's never going to be the Sasuke that we knew and loved. I fear that he might already be gone to Itachi's horrible mind games."
"That bastard better not be stalking him," Naruto cursed looking at Kakashi's unconscious form. "After what he pulled with Kakashi he shouldn't be allowed to live. If there's any way that I can get to the old him and return him to normal, I will gladly do it. Even if it kills me. Even if Itachi dies."
Sakura watched as he stood up walking toward the door. "Will you be alright?"
"Itachi's not on the move," Naruto answered looking back at her. "And as long as you're in here you're going to be alright. He's not going to come back here, he has no business to, Sasuke's out," his eyes looked straight into hers. "Sasuke wouldn't allow him to live if he touched you."
Sakura looked back down at Kakashi. "hy would he touch me? I know that I'm not of any use to him. I'm just a normal girl with no special qualities; S-class criminals go after different kinds of people. Go out and have fun, I'll spend some time with Kakashi."
Naruto looked back at her. Sakura… I love you…
-----
I'm supposed to go through with this, I made a promise to Itachi that I wouldn't let him down, his vision was swirling as he fell to his knees again retching into the toilet his body was shaking. I have to do this!
His eyes closed tightly his stomach burning with every retch more liquid leaving his lips. Thought of the pledge they made, the words that rolled off of Itachi's lips as they pressed up against his flesh. He could hear it all clearly as he remembered the security he felt in those arms. When he was with him he was safe. But as he imagined blue eyes looking up at him dying as he struggled for breath. "Naruto…"
As the rumbling in his stomach ceased, he fell next to the toilet sobbing violently, the burning in his chest returning with every gasp, his vision clouded with thoughts of death. Naruto had to die. It was all Naruto and Kakashi's fault that Itachi was in the condition that he was in. How could he continue his life knowing that the people that he once trusted were the ones who were killing the only person that cared about him?
He wanted to end it, right here, right now. End the suffering that he was watching Itachi go through, end the selfish lies that Sakura and Naruto had whispered so sweetly into his ears, end the fake words of wisdom that Kakashi had once preached about. He was too young to take any of this, and he was too weak to assist Itachi in his grand design. His weakness was only going to bring his brother down.
Hugging his knees tightly he continued to sob trying not muffle the noises just in case someone came in. The smell of vomit running through his nostrils made him gag, his body shaking even more. Naruto had to die, he had to kill his best friend if he wanted his heart to be at rest.
The door opened. "Sasuke are you in here?"
Sasuke flushed the toilet hugging his knees tighter still. "Go away, Naruto…"
Naruto's feet could be seen under the stall door. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Sasuke swallowed hard trying to prevent the new splash of vomit that threatened to take control of his body. "Just go away!"
"You don't sound like you're fine," Naruto answered moving to his knees looking underneath the door. "You don't look like you're fine either."
"You shouldn't crawl underneath public restroom doors," Sasuke breathed looking away from him. "I could have been doing something in here…"
Naruto crawled under the door entering the stall. "Sasuke… you're crying…"
"I'll be fine," Sasuke breathed burying his face in his knees. "Now go away, I don't want you to see me like this."
Blue irises had never be filled with that much pain as he looked straight at him, his hands reaching to touch him, soft breathing speeding up into a hysterical series of gasping. Naruto's heat was coming closer to him, his arms wrapping around Sasuke in a tight embrace. Sobs could be heard in Sasuke's ear as he returned the hug trying to soothe his own heavy breathing.
"You're going to be alright," the blond whimpered. "I'm here now…"
Sasuke could feel Naruto's heart beating up against his chest; he could feel his life going through his body. His best friend shook gently in his arms holding onto him tighter, repeatedly whispering "you're going to be alright" in his ear. The tighter he held onto him, the harder the thoughts of that warm body dying came.
"Sasuke…" Naruto breathed wiping one of his friend's tears away. "You've been puking…"
"I'm fine," Sasuke whimpered clasping Naruto's wrist feeling his pulse. I have to kill him, I promised Itachi that I… I would kill Naruto, but now that I look into those blue eyes… I don't know if I can. But hoe will Itachi deal with that?
Naruto continued to hold him. "Are you still sick?"
Sasuke's stomach churned as he felt Naruto's breath on his neck. You have to kill him, Sasuke! You have to! He pushed Naruto away beginning to vomit again, loud coughing filling the bathroom bouncing off of the walls, more liquid passing his lips. Everything that was around him disappeared into the darkness as he saw blood, Naruto's blood in mass quantities, his cold blue eyes looking up at him. He had never killed a person before and all of this time he prayed that he wouldn't have to, Itachi being the only one, but now to murder his best friend brutally, he wasn't sure that he could do it.
"Sasuke," Naruto cried out stroking his best friend's back. "Are you alright?"
The retching continued his body shaking as he felt his best friend's hand on his back, gently stroking his shirt. He didn't need this; he didn't need Naruto's Goddamn sympathy. He didn't even want to think of Naruto being this close to him knowing that it would be some of the last touches that Naruto's fingers ever made. Everything the boy lived for was going to be taken away from him, including his own life.
"Are you going to be alright?" Naruto asked as the toilet flushed. "What happened? Are you sick?"
"Naruto," Sasuke breathed wiping his mouth. "If you knew that you had to do something horrific, do you think you'd be able to do it?"
"What do you mean?" Naruto asked in a quizzical manner
Sasuke's dark eyes swelled up more with tears. "If you had to kill me… would you be able to do it?"
Naruto's eyes lit up with confusion. "Sasuke? What the hell are you talking about? I'm not going to kill you, I would never be able to. You're my best friend and your precious to me. There's nothing that would ever compel me to do such a thing."
Swallowing hard Sasuke looked into Naruto's eyes. "How would you do it? How would you kill me, Naruto? If you had to kill me, how would you?"
The blond shook his head. "I would never do that; I would never put you in that much pain, Sasuke. I'm not even going to sit back and let you talk about this. What happened to you that night, Sasuke, what did he really do to you?"
"I told you already, you figured it out faster than even Kakashi did," Sasuke answered closing his eyes finally being able to say the word around Naruto. "He raped me, Naruto, and he left me there to die a slow, painful death, but that has nothing to do with this. I just was curious."
"Sasuke, I'm here for you," Naruto stroked his best friends face. "I'm not going to let you stay in here and wallow in self pity. If I do, then I failed you as a friend. I'm not going to lose you again; I've almost lost you too many times."
Naruto moved closer to kiss Sasuke lightly on the lips hearing Sasuke gasp. "Naruto, what are you…?"
"I'm trying to calm you down," Naruto smiled standing up looking down at Sasuke. "Come on, let go get some air. No more tears, there's a whole world out there that you've been excluded from for too long."
Sasuke looked up at him. "Kisses don't calm people down; kisses are the catalyst for more regret. I don't want that regret to be pushed upon you. Every kiss leads to some tragedy; one kiss could be the last thing that you ever experience, and the last moments of your life I don't want them wasted on me."
"What's with the talk of death?" Naruto asked extending his hand. "You're talking like I'm going to die right now. There's no way that I'm going to let you give up on life like this. I know you've been in pain but suicide is not going help ease that. If you kill yourself, I'd have to hurt myself too. I wouldn't let you take all of the attention from Sakura; I want some of it to."
Sasuke looked at Naruto's hand. "You're going to stay near me, even after what I said?"
"I want to save your life," the blond answered taking his hand with a smile. "Let's go, Sasuke, you're going to suffocate in here."
Sasuke took hold of Naruto's hand tightening his grip around the slender limb. The smile that was on the blond boy's face made another inferno form in Sasuke's stomach, he had to kill him. He was the one who would have to put an end to him not only to uphold his pact with Itachi, but also to obtain the mangekyou sharinganto better his chances of his mastering the kekkei genkai.
"Naruto," Sasuke breathed. "Do you hate me?"
"No," Naruto answered moving to unlock the stall door. "Why on earth would I hate you? What did you do…?"
Sasuke pushed Naruto to the door looking straight into his eyes. "If you hated me legitimately, why would you help me? Everywhere you go you say that you hate me, you hate me more than anything, yet you're always there for me." He placed a hand around Naruto's neck. "Why?"
"Sasuke…" Naruto breathed. "W-What are you doing?"
Onyx eyes looked into sapphire. "Naruto, I could lose you at any minute… inside your body lies the spirit of the nine-tailed fox, and everybody wants to have it. They're getting closer everyday that goes by. With just a little more pressure…" Sasuke tightened his grip on Naruto's neck. "… I could kill you right here and right now. But… there's something in your eyes telling that if this ever happened to you I wouldn't be able to live. Naruto… I made you promise that you wouldn't let me hurt you no matter how persuasive I am. Please, don't let me ever do this to you."
Naruto's eyes widened. "S-Sasuke?"
He took his hand off of Naruto's neck and captured him in a long embrace. "Naruto… don't let me hurt you. I want you to promise me right now that no matter what happens to me you'll fight me off Don't give into me or my words," his breath was running into Naruto's ear. "Never give in, Naruto, not if you want to be better than me."
Naruto's hands wrapped tighter around Sasuke's body. "Sasuke… I'm starting to feel claustrophobic. I need to get out of this stall." He coughed lightly. "The smell of your vomit is getting to me."
"Naruto," Sasuke smirked as he opened the stall door. "Always avoiding the subject."
Sasuke watched as Naruto walked to a sink running the water leaning over it. "You know, I'm surprised that you came back here to see Kakashi-sensei, I mean since you lost everything that mattered to you. You had to watch him die."
"Yeah," Sasuke breathed apathetically.
"He doesn't want you to reach your full potential, because he's scared of what you can do. You can do more than he ever could; you're worth more than he is, and it pains me to see this, with him, dying right before my eyes."
He looked at Naruto, was he in on this too? Was he holding him back as well? Why would his team want him to fail as a ninja? They weren't how Itachi described them, Naruto still cared. Didn't he?
"Are you alright?" Naruto asked looking back at his best friend. "You seem quiet today, Sasuke."
"I'm fine," Sasuke breathed. I have to do this… this might be the last chance that Itachi has. He's being taken away from me and I'll be damned if I let that happen.
Looking at his reflection in the mirror all he could see was the blood, the blood of his brother seeping down his lips. He could still feel the warmth on his face as he heard a cough echo through his ears. He was dying slowly. This was the only way to save him from his dark fate: taking Naruto's tightly he pulled him out the door.
There's no other way… this has to end.
-----
The room was dead silent, darkness starting to take over as she looked down at Kakashi's body, he looked so peaceful. Something was wrong in the darkness though as she heard the door opening an alarmed hand moving to grab a kunai from her pouch. Whatever it was she could take it, no matter what happened to her she had to protect her sensei.
"Who are you?" she asked seeing the slender figure in the darkness holding the kunai tighter. "Show yourself."
The figure took a step closer. "You must be another one of Kakashi's young genin," he looked straight at her as he stepped into the light. "Sakura Haruno if I'm not mistaken."
"Who are you?" she asked holding the kunai to point at him, watching him not even flinch. "What do you want with Kakashi-sensei?"
"If I answer your questions will you put the knife away, little girl?" he asked his black eyes filled with benevolence. "I won't hurt you, I promise," she lowered the knife. "My name is Itachi Uchiha, as for what I want with your sensei, I was going to kill him."
She gasped looking over at Kakashi and then back at Itachi. "You! You're the guy who raped Sasuke!" she moved closer. "What are you doing showing your face here, you jerk?" she moved over to him his pupils following her every move. As green eyes looked up into his she slapped him across the face leaving pain in her hand's wake.
He cupped his face looking at her. "Good hit…"
"What?" she asked her voice fiery.
"That was a good hit, little girl," he smiled looking down at her. "However a ninja should never just work on impulse. That makes what he does predictable and lowers the worth of the movements. However, you caught me off guard and used just enough force to open me up to a better attack," he smiled broader. "You're cruelty makes you his student for sure…"
She looked up into his eyes. "You're Sasuke's brother…"
He nodded looking back down at her. This little girl may be the last piece that I need in my plan. I'm sorry Kakashi, but even though you've won a few battles our war will never end. It could have been nice and gentle… you were never one for gentle; it was always so aggressive with you. You enjoy making me bleed. Now I'll return the favor.
"You came to kill my sensei?" Sakura asked shakily. "What did he do to you?"
"That is an absurd question. What he did was something that a human being should never do to another human being. He's so cold, colder than I," he knelt next to the bed holding Kakashi's hand. "That eye, that sharingan doesn't belong to him yet he uses it like an Uchiha, like it belongs to him rightfully. He's a thief."
"Thief?" Sakura asked. "What are you talking about?"
"He poisons the mind making you think that you're a ninja, he lied to Sasuke, he made him think that he could take me out. My brother had to learn the hard way what happens when I ninja gets into a tight situation, he never trained you did he?" Itachi looked over at her with a smile on his face. "Do you know how to deal with a threat, a threat that could end your life?"
Her eyes wandered to Kakashi. "You mean when an opponent like you comes along? You were one of the best ninjas that I ever heard of coming out of this village. You're stronger than any opponent that I hope to face."
"We all have our strengths and weaknesses," he started looking over at Kakashi. "There are ninja that specialize more in one field than others, but a pretty girl like you should excel at multiple arts."
A warm blush rolled across her face. "I'm not that pretty…"
"You're very pretty," he smiled back looking straight into her eyes. "You shouldn't be in a thankless job such as this; you could amount to so much more than being on the same team as Kakashi Hatake. You're worth so much more, my dear…"
"Sakura," she breathed.
"Hmmm?" he asked cocking his head to the side.
"You can just call me Sakura if you want to," her voice was soft shaking as if she was terrified. "Don't have to call me little girl."
"Sakura, you needn't be afraid," Itachi whispered stroking her face running his fingertips through her light pink hair. "I would never hurt you, Sakura. I don't strike to kill unless I am hurt first. I'm in perfect condition, you haven't wronged me."
"I wouldn't win against you anyway," Sakura blushed. "Sasuke said my skills are only mediocre and I wouldn't be able to take on any big opponents."
"My little brother is one to talk," he laughed still petting pink hair. "I bet your skills in one area are even better than his. He tends to be overconfident and a little arrogant. What can you do?"
Her green eyes lit up as she blushed harder. "I'm trying to become a medical ninja, but I only know the basics."
"Medical ninjustsu?" the pain in his chest was still pounding feeling his ribs push harder onto his lung. Could she… could she be the one that I've been looking for, the one who's going to extend my life only if she only does it for a few moments. Oh Sakura, your purpose hasn't diluted after all. If I play my cards right, I could copy a technique.
"Yeah," she breathed not making eye contact with him. "I bet you can do that."
He shook his head. "Even geniuses have flaws, Sakura; I never needed to know medical ninjutsu. My specialty is genjutsu, it didn't seem important. But now…"
"What?" she asked looking into his dark eyes.
Keep going, you're getting closer. He shook his head. "You shouldn't have to be burdened with me."
"Itachi," she breathed, a small tear forming in her eyes. "You said that you thought I was strong, you said that you knew there was some hope for me after Kakashi-sensei has clouded me from the light. If you really think that then understand I can take anything you can tell me what's your problem."
He coughed lightly blood falling onto his hand, his eyes starting to water his body shaking from the pain. As he reopened his eyes he looked over at Kakashi with hate and scorn and then at Sakura. "Do you understand now?"
Sakura saw the blood as Itachi continued to cough. "What the hell happened to you, Itachi? Is that blood?"
"The night when I came back to Sasuke, he managed to get a decent hit in. By focusing his chakra into his hand he was able to augment the force driving it right into my chest. He broke three of my ribs, driving one to pierce my lung, not fully, nothing ruptured, but it's shortening my time that I have left. Sakura… I need you to do something for me."
"What?" she asked watching the blood run from his lips. "I'll do anything that you want me to do…"
He looked over at her weakly trying to his grin. "How is your medical ninjutsu?"
"It's mediocre," she whimpered holding his hand, feeling him squeeze tighter out of pain. "Are you going to die…"
"It doesn't have to concern you, Sakura, we all must die even if it is at the hands of my little brother. He always dreamed of killing me, feeling my warm blood on his face," his lips curled up into a bloody smile. "And if I have to die right here on top of Kakashi then so be it. I'm going to take him with me…"
"Itachi!" Sakura cried out hugging him tightly. "I don't care what Sasuke's dreams are, I'm not going to let you die because I was too weak to stop it all from happening. How bad is it?"
She ran her fingers under his shirt feeling the indentation of the broken ribs hearing him wince in pain. They were worse than she thought they were, he might not survive this if she didn't help him now. Lifting his shirt up she saw the dark bruises where the hit took place, even after all of this time there was no sign of it even starting to disappear. He was in too much pain for her to even fathom how his body felt currently.
"Itachi, oh my God!" Sakura whimpered, her green eyes watering. "How can you breathe with all of these bruises?"
"With great pain," he coughed as she released him from her embrace. His breathing was rough as through half opened eyes looking at her hands signs. Mystical palms and judging by the look in her eyes it was the only jutsu that she could comprehend right now. He memorized the flow fully understanding how to formulate it even more than the times where he had caught glimpses. Thank God the through his half opened eyes she couldn't see the red of his sharingan.
It felt so soothing having the chakra haze run over his body healing him slowly. She was obedient, a trait that he never thought he would see in a student of Kakashi's, she was still untouched by the poison of the thief. She was pure, the look on her face showing concern for him as she wasted more and more of her chakra on him. How was he ever going to repay her? He knew: he'd let her live.
"You didn't have to do that," he breathed looking into her eyes watching her hands draw away from him taking a deep breath, he could still feel the strain on his lungs from his ribs. The gurgling of his blood deep in his lungs was dying and the coughing starting to become a little less painful.
"I know… but I'm not going to let Sasuke have the guilt that he wants to have," Sakura breathed. "He might want you to die at his hands, but there is no way that he's going to be able to sleep at night knowing that he killed everyone that matters to him. I know that you still matter to him deep in his heart. He doesn't want you to die, Itachi."
He stood up going toward the door. "Thank you, Sakura; you're different from Kakashi. You're a pure girl and I think that you'll be a great ninja one day. Your medical ninjutsu is amazing."
She held her hand out wanting him to take it and he complied by pressing his lips to the soft flesh. His lips were warm up against her hand his grip was compassionate as his eyes looked into her green ones. Right after his lips left her flesh he walked to the door looking back at her.
"Our little secret," he whispered with a dark smile walking back into the darkness.
She looked at the door. Our little secret.
-----
He looked deeply into the bowl of ramen as he looked at his face, he was getting deeper into the darkness and there was no turning back now. Through the corner of his eye he could see Naruto smiling as he finished another bowl of ramen. He was so innocent, so sweet so full of life. It was a shame, a waste of all of the moments that he had with Naruto that he had to die. Every feeling that he was destined to have with his best friend was about to be cut short. He had to kill him for the power that he still craved.
"You seem quiet," Naruto answered looking over at him. "You're not the type of guy who stays quiet around me. You're usually insulting me or challenging me to some eating contest and then we both go together to puke, bickering after. But you… it's like you're not even awake."
Sasuke stirred through his ramen with a chopstick and then looked over at Naruto. "It's been a while since I could live a normal life. I've been in the hospital, sleeping at home. It's been a really long month, Naruto, a month that I don't want to repeat."
"It must have hurt you to know that our ninja career's over for a while. They can't find anyone to replace Kakashi-sensei so until then we can't go on any missions. The last thing that we were supposed to do is go off to find Itachi, after what he did to you; we can't risk having anything else like that happen."
Sasuke took a deep breath as he looked down into the bowl. "No matter how much of this stuff I eat it's never going to make all of my pain go away. I used to think that all of my pain couldn't grow any larger. Well, I was wrong, Naruto."
Blue eyes closed. "Sasuke… I should take you home; you can sleep at my place."
"I don't know if I should," Sasuke breathed. "I don't think that I should impose," he pulled out his wallet. "I'll pay for this."
"Sasuke, you don't have to," Naruto breathed watching Sasuke leave the money on the counter. "Thanks…"
"Anytime," the Uchiha answered as he stood up. "Are you sure that you want me to go home with you? I mean aren't you scared that I'm going to hurt myself over there? And you'll have to watch?"
"I'm more concerned if you go home alone," the blond answered hearing Sasuke cough. "You look so cold," his breath was condensing as he shivered lightly looking into Sasuke's black eyes. "I should get you inside before you die of hypothermia."
He wrapped his arm around him as they started to walk away into the darkness. The way that Naruto's arm felt around his waist made him smile slightly. Did Shisui ever do this to Itachi when they walked home after the long nights of avoiding his father? If Shisui showed that kind of warmth then why would Itachi ever want to kill him? Naruto's eyes looked over at him with so much trust. Could he not sense that there was something wrong? Sasuke knew that the hate was radiating off of him consuming Naruto into the darkness of his own shadowy heart.
"Naruto," Sasuke whispered as they walked down the same path that Naruto did that night. "Do you still hear them in your sleep? The screams?"
"What?" Naruto asked as if trying to block Sasuke out.
"The screams that you told me you heard that night, my screams. Do you hear them while you try to sleep at night?" Sasuke's voice was a low whisper barely audible above the wind. "I know that it must have been horrible, walking from the ramen bar to your own home not sure what's going on down there, but you have to know that being down there was worse, actually having to feel someone take control of you and not being able to stop it…"
Sasuke closed his eyes tighter the moans that once represented his pain were now the moans that made him feel absolute pleasure. His brother's name passing his lips in a passionate scream made his whole body shudder. The memories of earlier that one day when he wanted to be held in his brother's arms forever never wanting his warm breathe to leave his lips. Times had changed in only a few short weeks. Hate became love.
"Well here it is," Naruto announced. Sasuke must have spaced out while they moved up the stairs to get to his best friend's home. This was where Naruto was going to fall, where it was all going to end. He watched the blond fumble with the key his eyes fixated on the door.
"Yeah," Sasuke breathed as the door opened. The place was a sty, completely out of order but as he looked around he knew that was the least of his problems. Naruto Uzumaki was going to die right here, later on this night. It was the only way that Itachi could finally have peece, the only way that Sasuke could let his brother go.
"I'll be in the bedroom," Naruto smiled. "You can sleep on the floor if you want."
Sasuke nodded. "I'll be right there soon enough."
Watching his friend disappear into the darkness he ran to the waste basket purging his body from the ramen that he had eaten earlier. Thoughts of pupils fixed and dilated in blue eyes as he focused on every retch, tears streaming down his silken cheeks. Heart racing, his body shaking, he continued to vomit more and more holding back the sobs. How could a person kill their best friend? Naruto was in his bedroom probably trying to go to sleep, little did he know he was getting closer to the end, to his imminent death. If Naruto wasn't, Itachi was.
"I have to do this," he whispered wiping his mouth looking up at the ceiling. "Itachi… this is for you."
He made a promise to Itachi, he was going to kill the fox to make his organization pay. The promises that he had made with Naruto were disappearing, but he prayed to God that Naruto wasn't going to let Sasuke kill him that easily. There had to be some hope. More tears streamed down his cheeks. He had to let the one that he loved die or let his best friend be slaughtered by his own hand.
"I'm a murderer," he whispered opening his eyes looking at the doorway to Naruto's room, staring with what he had hated the most and what Itachi had left: swollen obsidian eyes.
Author's Note: I know, I know, the ItaSaku scene was bad, but it was necessary, now Itachi's going to learn a new technique that gains more importance through the story. As for Sasuke, I know that he's being a little overdramatic, but it's just teenage angst. So what do you think? Good? Bad? I should stop while I'm ahead? Honesty is always good.
Next chapter somethnig shocking happens and secrets of the sharingan are revealed to Sasuke that he never wanted to know.