Haihai again! I'm back once again after a long absence! I didn't mean to be gone so long D: time just flew by! So :D Enjoi!
Title: Sinners' Devotion
Summary: Sasuke saved Itachi instead of killing him-on a whim supposedly. Now back in Konoha with Akatsuki after them along with Naruto, they have to do everything in their power to protect everything they…. love? future ItaSasuNaru yaoi – rating may go up.
Words: 4,331
Total: 56,126
Date: 11-29-10
Disclaimer!: I'm afraid of what I'm going to do when Naruto ends… I'll probably steal the copyrights from Kishimoto and continue it – yaoi edition! :D
End of Chapter 9:
Tsunade wiped her brow as she tried another solution with the contaminated blood she had gotten from Itachi. She cursed when the black multiplied instead of decreased and through the testing solution away along with the blood. She looked back over her notes, going through everything again in her mind. Should she use a deer antler this time instead of a lizard's tail? Or maybe it was the Agaricus Blazei plant? Wait, did she use that? Fuck! She bit her thumb in thought as she poured over her notes, scratching out words and adding new ones.
She slumped into the chair next to her working desk. She had been going at this non stop since yesterday after she called back Naruto. Her body was aching and her mind was scattered with her thoughts. She didn't know what she would do if Itachi died, not that she had any kind of personal relationship with him. No, she was worried because of Naruto. Naruto just lost Jiraiya; he couldn't lose Itachi now that he had become another one of his precious people. A tear slid down her cheek as she thought of the pain Naruto must be going through right now.
She double checked her notes, triple checked them. She checked them over and over again for the next ten minutes. When she couldn't make any more changes, she asked for Shizune and three other doctors to get their outlooks on the information. They all gave her the same answer she arrived to even though she made them go through it twice. She felt a tear slip down her cheek. There was no cure.
Chapter 10: A Funeral For A Great Man
She lingered outside the room, unable to muster up the courage to walk in. She bit her lip until her lip bleed and raised her hand to open the door, only to let it fall uselessly to the ground. Her eyes clenched shut and she took in a deep breath, trying to hold back the tears that were struggling to get free of her eyes. As she let out the air in her lungs, she opened the door. There was no going back now as she had the occupants' attention.
She quietly closed the door behind her and walked up to the bed. Two pairs of eyes bore into her. She swallowed; her mouth suddenly dry. Sure, she had to deliver news like this almost every minute back during the war and at least once a week now, but this was different. This was her 'son' and his pseudo-family.
"Shizune, a couple of colleges, and I have look at this from every possible angle. We have tried everything that we could think of, every medicine in every combination." She saw their jaws tightening in preparation of what she was going to say next. Her eyes closed; she couldn't stand to look at those hopeful eyes of her 'son' anymore. She failed as a 'mother.' "I'm so sorry, Naruto." Her voice was naught but a whisper. "The best I can do is force him awake so you can say good-"
"No." Naruto's voice croaked out and she opened her eyes to see him staring at the limp figure in the bed. "It's best to let him… go… without any pain." He smiled up at her, his eyes scrunched up. "Thanks, Obaa-san. I know you… tired everything." He leaned heavily against the figure sitting next to him on the couch, unconsciously searching for support.
Tsunade pursed her lips, and glanced at Itachi. He was worse than two days ago. 'Had it really only been two days?' His hair was grimy, having gone without shower for three days now; they daren't move him in fear of speeding along his death. There were even more machines hooked up to his body, all helping to monitor his health and help him stay alive. His face was gaunt, having only been getting nutrients through the IV. Bruises seemed to have appeared all over his body, and the machine monitoring the black substance in his blood showed a 33% instead of the 12% that was present on the screen two days ago. The substance was taking up over a third of his blood content; it was amazing they were able to keep him alive, even with the high-tech machines.
"I…" Sasuke's voice was rusty; as if he hadn't spoken for those two days she was gone. "Can you… wake him up?" He pulled his eyes from Itachi's prone form. "Just… Just for a moment… Then let him go back to sleep… I just… I just…" His mouth stayed slightly open as he turned back to look at his brother, tears gathering in his eyes but he daren't let them fall.
Tsunade looked at Naruto, making sure he was fine with it to as he was against it not just a minute ago. The blonde just closed his eyes, a single tear escaping them as he leaned his full weight on Sasuke. She walked up to the eldest Uchiha, her footsteps seemingly too loud in the deathly silence that permeated the room. The Hokage placed two fingers on Itachi's forehead, concentrating a small amount of chakra into them, and gave his consciousness a small push, waking him up. Tsunade looked to Sasuke and Naruto one more time before leaving; she knew they would want to be left alone. "I'll be right outside." She whispered as she closed the door behind her.
Itachi woke up slowly, his eyes not focusing correctly and his mind not fully awake. His body was numb and his throat seemed to be blocked by some object. Slowly, his senses came back to him. He could feel his lungs taking in air and pushing it out, be he knew he wasn't the one drawing it in. His body started to throb, a dull ache pulsing throughout. Gray-black eyes swiveled in their sockets, locking on two figures beside him.
'Who?' He thought. 'Who are they? …. Why are they crying? …. Are they crying for me? … Why would…. Sasuke…. Naruto…. That's Sasuke… And Naruto… Why are they crying?' He tried to move his arm to hug them but they only twitched; he tried to open his mouth to talk but his voice was blocked.
"H-Hey Itachi." Naruto's voice cracked and a hiccup escaped from his lips. "Do-Don't worry abou-about a thing o-okay? You'r-You're going to be ju-just f-fine." He gave Itachi a fake smile.
'You're such a… liar… You've always… been a bad liar…' His thoughts came to him slowly. He wished he could talk to them, ask them what was wrong; why were they crying; who was going to be just fine; and why Naruto was lying about something he knew nothing about?
"Aniki…" Sasuke's voice tumbled from his lips, but he didn't say anything further.
'Ani-? … Me… They're talking… about me… I'm…' His eyes made another go around of the room. The multiple machines tied up to him and what he now recognized as a breathing tube blocking his throat. 'I'm… who's going… to be 'okay.' They're crying over… me.' Itachi looked back to them, his brain finally beginning to catch up with him. He struggled to move his arm, the heart monitor going a bit faster with the strain. His hand reached for them and lost strength, hanging limply over the bed.
Sasuke reached for it, and held it between his hands. Itachi only realized just how cold he was when he felt Sasuke's heat. His hand grew even warmer when Naruto placed his hand upon theirs. Itachi's body began to shake from the sudden chill, a cold sweat breaking out over his forehead. This only caused the worry and anguished in his boys' eyes worse and he wished he could rip the tube from his throat and tell them he was going to be alright. He settled for a malformed smile, his lips spreading awkwardly around the tube.
"I-I love you Anik-ki." A deep cry escaped from Sasuke's throat.
"I love you… too Otouto… Don't…'
"I'm-I'm sorry. I-" He broke off into broken sobs, his tears landing on the conjoined hands.
'Don't be… sorry… I'm so proud…'
"Do-Don't you worry abo-about the Teme, I-Itachi."
'Naruto… please… I…'
Naruto smiled at him. "I-I'll talk goo-good care of-" His breath caught in his throat, and no more sound escaped him. He continued to stare at Itachi, tears welling up in his eyes but never falling, Naruto's jaw clenched sporadically with the effort to keep them back.
'Please don't… don't cry… I…' his world began to become dark again. 'No… I…. still have…' He could feel his eyelids getting heavier. 'Something… I need…. I need to… say… I…' His world faded into oblivion, the image of his boys' crying – Sasuke's tears streaming down his cheek and Naruto's tears just beginning to escape his eyes – was burned into his mind.
Naruto fell limp against Sasuke as Itachi went back under. His hand slipped from Itachi's and Sasuke's joined ones. When he opened his eyes back once again, he was in the last place he wanted to be at that moment.
"I will help you, boy." Kyuubi's hot breath washed over him from behind the bars. "The Uchiha – the sick one – you wish to save him do you not?"
"Shut up." Naruto's voice was a deathly calm. "Let me out." He added on when he found he couldn't get out due to Kyuubi's chakra. He made a mental note to check that out later, it wouldn't do to get stuck inside his mind due to the Kyuubi during a fight or something equally critical where every second counted.
"Do NOT order me around ningen." Kyuubi's voice was scathing. "I am offering to cure your 'family,'" the word was said mockingly. "Do you not wish to heal the ningen?"
"There's nothing. Obaa-chan already said that there was no cure-"
"Ah, and there is where you are wrong boy. This is no human cure, yes that is a fact. But a demon's cure," the Kyuubi somehow seemed to smirk, "now that – there is one."
There was a moment of silence. "What do you want?" Naruto knew Kyuubi never gave anything without a price. Usually it was too high a price to pay, but Naruto was willing to do anything short of letting the Kyuubi free to heal Itachi.
Kyuubi's smirk widened and his eyes glowed an unearthly color. "I'm glad you see it my way ningen…"
Naruto's eyes opened up to the white ceiling.
"Thank Kami, Naruto."
He looked to the side to see Tsunade. He was spread out on the couch in Itachi's 'room.' "What?" Naruto sat up on the couch, looking over at Itachi.
"Sasuke damn near had a panic attack when you fainted. I rushed in when he practically screamed your name. You've been out for about a minute. You should go home and get some rest." She glanced at Itachi's sleeping form. "I'll notify you when Itachi-"
"No."
"'No?' Naruto you just passed out from fatigue and you have had a very stressful week, you need-"
"Quiet." Tsunade backed up from the order. It was so sudden, so quiet, so authoritative, that she was shocked that it came from Naruto's mouth.
Sasuke was leaning against the wall in between the bed and the couch; he was still rattled from the scare Naruto gave him. It was enough that Itachi was… d-… going to-… going to leave him, the last thing he needed was Naruto passing out on him. He shakily wiped away the remnants of his tears and snot, the red circles belying him.
"I… I know what to do."
Sasuke's eyebrows scrunched at Naruto's words. His eyes followed the blonde as he stood up and walked over to Itachi's bedside. "What? You know what to do about what?"
Naruto glance at him before going back to Itachi's still form. "I can… I can heal him.. I-"
"What?" Sasuke's voice was penetrating. Now he was angry. "Don't be stupid Uzumaki. Tsunade just said that there was no cur-!"
"Yeah." Naruto agreed with him, shocking the anger out of him. Naruto looked into Sasuke's eyes, determination showing through the beautiful cerulean irises. The blonde's eyes shifted to Tsunade. "Yeah, there's no cure – no human cure. But a demon's…" Naruto looked back to Itachi, missing their shocked looks, "that's a different story."
"Don't you even think about it Naruto! How did you find out about a demon's healing spell anyways? You probably don't even know the risks-"
"Of course I know them Obaa-san. He explained it to me. I know exactly what I'm doing."
"'He?' Surely you aren't talking about Kyuubi are you?"
"Naruto!" Sasuke cut in. "Are you such an idiot that you'd take something from that demon?"
Naruto looked to Sasuke. "I know. But it'll save Itachi."
Sasuke faltered. "How do you even know it'll do what Kyuubi said it will?" There was a glimmer of hope in his eyes.
"I don't. I'll just have to trust him. Besides, if I die, he dies. He knows this. He wouldn't do anything to harm me… permanently at least. And if it… kills Itachi – well, that's not going to be much of a difference then our situation right now is it?" Naruto gave them a rueful smile.
Sasuke stared into Naruto's eyes, searching for hope, for confidence, for a promise. "This won't do anything bad, right?"
"I promise, nothing bad will happen." '-to Itachi.'
Sasuke searched his eyes for a lie. When he found none he reluctantly shut his eyes and nodded.
"You both are crazy! There is no way I am authorizing this! There are too many risks involved! You are making a deal with the devil! There's too much at stake-!"
"Obaa-san." She looked into his eyes. "Trust me. Okay?"
Tsunade faltered. How could she say no to those eyes and that voice? "Fine. Fine. But we will be taking precautions to make sure you-"
"I don't think that there really is anything that can protect me from Kyuubi while keeping an open connection. My Will will be my protection. That's the best we can do. Besides, I don't really think it's your choice Obaa-san. It's Sasuke's, and he already gave me consent."
Tsunade growled. "Fine, but we are staying in here; I don't care what you say." She added on when she saw his mouth open to protest. "If anything goes wrong, we will be here to help. If you don't like it, I'm perfectly happy with incapacitating you so you can't do it at all." Naruto scowled at her. "Be glad that I'm allowing you to do this much brat."
Naruto sucked his teeth at her and turned to Itachi. He licked his in nervousness and reached for Kyuubi's chakra. He was startled when it came easily; he was so used to having to struggle with it or having it over power him. He took in a deep breath to calm himself and began the process. He placed one clawed hand on Itachi's forehead and the other on his chest, just over his heart. He hoped to God that this would work, that Kyuubi's instructions wouldn't backfire on him.
"Աստվածները է դժոխք, լսել իմ լաց էին լինում." He began to chant in a language none of them had ever heard before. There were weird growls and guttural sounds in between the words. No human would ever be able to speak that language, that's for sure. ( 1 ) Tsunade and Sasuke couldn't make heads or tails of it, even Naruto had no idea what he was saying. All he knew was that this spell was rarely ever used by demons since 'no demon would ever lower himself to plead and… well, lets just say that sometimes this doesn't work and it tends to… backfire when it doesn't.'
"Առնել սույն մարդու հիվանդություն եւ դարձնել այն իմը." Naruto twitched when a sharp pain stabbed at him and Itachi's body jerked violently. "Վերցնել իր վերքերը ու տառապանքն է դրանք ինձ վրա." Itachi's fingers clutched at the covers and a sweat broke across his body as the bruises began to disappear. The heart monitor to his right was beeping wildly. Naruto panted, his teeth clenched in pain, but he had to continue.
"Թող տանջվել ցավից, այլեւս, ես կունենա իր պատժի." The Uchiha's fingers immediately relaxed and the heart monitor stopped for a breath taking moment before starting up again in an unsteady beat. Naruto wanted to cry out as the pain in his body nearly tripled. "Ես ձեզ նրա արեան." Naruto used a sharp claw to make a nick just above Itachi's heart, the blood trickling out of the new wound.
"Ես ձեզ բերել իմ արյունը." He removed his hand from Itachi's forehead and bit into the pad of his thumb, causing blood to well up. He wiped his blood stained finger across the wound he had made on Itachi's body, mingling their blood. Itachi stopped breathing and his face scrunched up in pain. Naruto hunched his shoulders, his breathing ragged. He wished he could stop, but he couldn't. Kyuubi had told him exactly what would happen should he stop or falter. Let's just say it wasn't very good.
"Խնդրում եմ ընդունեք մեր առաջարկները, եւ Ընդունեք իմ մաղթում Ձեզ աստվածները է դժոխք." He finished with a scream, collapsing onto Itachi. He heard the heart monitor go flat once more as he fell into darkness. ( 2 )
Thunder roared and the cold rain pelted his body. His mind was numb as he looked at the closed casket. No tears fell from his eyes to join the rain as they lowered the coffin into the earth. He fisted the red roses in his hand, slightly crushing them. He threw them down onto the coffin wordlessly and turned around, not able to look at it anymore. Naruto stared at the table in front of him filled with trinkets owned by the man and his picture. He ran a hand over the glass protecting the photo, tracing the features.
"I'm sorry I failed you." He whispered, his words disappearing in the rain. A hand landed on his shoulder. "What Obaa-chan?"
"Naruto…" Her voice was soft. "You did your best. It-… It was just his time." Naruto just nodded and drew his hand back away from the face of the photo. "If you like, I'll let you say something." Naruto bit his lip and nodded, following her up onto the small stage. Tsunade cleared her voice, gaining the attention of the small crowd that had come for the funeral. "Thank you all… for coming. It would have meant a lot to him." Tsunade gave a small smile. "I-… I'm going to hand over the mic to," she swallowed the frog in her throat, "Uzumaki Naruto." She stepped down next to Shizune, her head hung low.
Naruto swallowed and stepped up. He stared out over the crowd who had known the man they were burying today. Well… "I…" His mouth wasn't able to form any words. He licked his lips, his mouth opening and closing a few more times. He connected eyes with Sasuke, then Kakashi's, then Iruka's, and finally the man's photo. "He was a stupid man." He began, words just flowing out of his mouth before he could think about it. "He was stupid, and idiotic, and… and… a great man." He paused. "He was willing to sacrifice himself for others, though we never noticed until after it had happened…. He wasn't able to correctly express himself, so I never noticed when he was trying to be nice to me or trying to cheer me up.
"He wasn't a bad guy, but he always seemed to come off that way." He chuckled wetly along with the crowd. "He was a good person with a good heart. A man that gave everything for nothing, yet we never noticed because he didn't want it to be. He didn't want to come off as a sap right?" He grinned, tasting salt instead of rain. "He was just a man to some, the world to others. A brother, a mentor, a father, a grandfather… a perverted old man." His grin faded into a smile. "I will never forget you, Ero-Sennin." He whispered the last part to himself and walked off the stage to stand by Sasuke. There was an overwhelming silence as everyone thought about their own experiences with Jiraiya.
"I remember…" Tsunade started, "one time I caught him peeking at me in the baths." She grinned, tears cascaded town his face along with the rain. "I gave him a beating that he never forgot. He never peeked at me again." She chuckled along with the crowd.
"Jiraiya-sama," Kakashi spoke up after a moment of silence, "was the man I respected the most. I would have never managed Naruto and novel writing at the same time." This produced more chuckles and a watery glare from Naruto.
This went on for another hour. Everyone telling their funny or sad or simple memory of Jiraiya. When all got silent and no one was willing to speak any further, Tsunade got up on the podium.
"Thank you, Jiraiya. You will never be forgotten. Konoha will remember you forever with the many on our Memorial Stone; but most importantly, we will remember you in our hearts and in out memories. Rest in peace, you big idiot." Tsunade walked back of the stage as the men took their cues and began to cover the coffin back up with the dirt.
"Come on, Naruto." Sasuke put a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Let's go see Itachi."
Naruto gave Sasuke a smile and began following him to the hospital. At least he was able to save one of his precious people. For now, that was enough to keep him going.
Holy snap-doozle this is late! And I bet some of you thought I killed off Itachi! :D I could never do that to my Itachi-sama! Meh, I came up with a cheesy way of healing him but what can you do? Also, this chapter isn't nearly as long as I would like, but this was the best I could do since I wanted to end it with Jiraiya's funeral. :D
Reviews motivate me~! So be sure to review! Also, tell me what I'm doing wrong, or what you like and stuff! It would really be helpful! Submit your ideas too if you want! I might use them~! :DD
( 1 ) There were weird growls and guttural sounds in between the words. No human would ever be able to speak that language, that's for sure.
-The growls and guttural sounds were too inhuman for a person to produce from their mouth unless they did some serious voice box work. Naruto is only able to speak it due to the Kyuubi. BTW I used an actual language but I'm using my own interpretation of how it will sound.
( 2 ) "Աստվածները է դժոխք, լսել իմ լաց էին լինում. Առնել սույն մարդու հիվանդություն եւ դարձնել այն իմը. Վերցնել իր վերքերը ու տառապանքն է դրանք ինձ վրա. Թող տանջվել ցավից, այլեւս, ես կունենա իր պատժի. Ես ձեզ նրա արեան. Ես ձեզ բերել իմ արյունը. Խնդրում եմ ընդունեք մեր առաջարկները, եւ Ընդունեք իմ մաղթում Ձեզ աստվածները է դժոխք."
-This roughly translates into something like: "Gods of the Underworld, hear my plea. Take this man's disease, and make it mine. Heal his wounds and inflict them onto me. Let him suffer in pain no more, I will take his punishment. I give you my blood. I give you his blood. Please accept our offerings and accept my wish you Gods of the Underworld." Chyaa… Something like that according to Google Translate. It's Armenian BTW.