The first thing Sasuke registered was that his arms and legs were bound. Though his consciousness was still hazy he was able to make out the unmistakable sensation of rope cutting into flesh, and it wasn't long before the pain cleared his mind and he remembered the severity of his situation. Memories of the ambush trickled back into his mind, and the raven-haired male's chest tightened as he remembered their failed attempt to escape before falling unconscious.
Sakura.
Onyx eyes darted to his side, and he was both relieved and horrified to find Sakura similarly bound beside him but placed a good few feet away. His charge was obviously slower in metabolizing the sleeping gas that had been used to capture them, leaving her in a peaceful state of slumber despite the dangerousness of their predicament. Kakashi sat awake on the girl's other side, and the older man's one visible eye met Sasuke's own over the sleeping form of their princess.
We need to get out of here.
Glancing around, Sasuke saw that they had been dumped in some kind of warehouse. The building had only one main entrance but several windows that were far beyond human reach – for a moment Sasuke entertained the idea of stacking the discarded boxes littering the premises and forming a makeshift ladder, but it soon became apparent that the feat would be impossible to perform with his restraints. He had no doubt that their captor loomed nearby, ready to intervene should they make a move.
They were trapped.
Even worse, Sasuke did not see his sword anywhere in the room. He had no idea whether or not his blade had been taken along with them, but without it he was sorely handicapped. His sword was like an extension of his very arm – Sasuke couldn't believe that he had allowed it to be taken away from his side.
The raven-haired male clenched his jaw.
Nothing had gone right ever since they met with that loose blonde. Sasuke could still see the blonde's face and hear his mews of pleasure, and just remembering the event made him squirm uncomfortably against his bindings.
Now was not the time to be thinking about that.
"Good morning. Have a nice nap?"
Sasuke's gaze snapped to the entrance, which their captor now leaned against with a lazy smile gracing his face. The man was a mercenary from head to toe; his tall figure practically exuded murderous intent as he slowly made his way closer, his triumphant smirk revealing pointy teeth that glistened underneath the dim light. He wielded a large serrated sword that remained strapped to his back, ensuring him easy access should the need arise.
"What have you done?" the raven-haired male growled, eyes flashing furiously.
"Made myself richer, it seems." The other man replied smoothly. "Who would have thought that a damn princess would have fallen into my hands? Someone somewhere loves me and finally decided to show it."
The tall man squatted down in front of him with a sneer.
"Your face is worth quite the penny as well."
"Fuck you." Sasuke spat.
The man's face darkened, and Sasuke saw stars as he was struck soundly in the face. Kakashi watched warily as the younger man straightened; despite the blood trickling down from the corner of his mouth, Sasuke's gaze was fierce as he stared challengingly at his assailant.
"Count your blessings. The only reason you're still alive is that I don't get paid if you aren't." The man snarled before rising back to his feet. "Enjoy the few hours you have left; after my men get here, we're shipping you directly back to Tanto."
The gears in Sasuke's mind churned as the man turned and stalked away to get watch. He had no idea how long they had been out cold, but his internal clock was as strict as ever. Though it was still dark out, there was no doubt that the sun would be rising soon – once it did, they'd be in trouble.
So that's it.
Sasuke met Kakashi's gaze once more.
The deadline was sunrise.
After that, they were as good as dead.
Sakura began to stir at his side, and groggy emerald eyes blinked with confusion before sharpening in alarm. The pink-haired girl sat up, panic evident on her face as she immediately began to struggle.
"Sakura." Sasuke spoke quietly.
"Sasuke." Her breathing was erratic. "What-"
"We were captured." The raven-haired male replied shortly. "The culprit intends to ship us to Tanto upon sunrise."
The girl's eyes widened before narrowing in understanding. Still, her chest heaved with poorly concealed alarm. "What do we do?"
Sasuke and Kakashi exchanged glances. "Our hands and feet are bound, and we have no weapons." Kakashi analyzed quietly, keen eye sweeping their surroundings for a possible escape route. "All of my pockets were emptied while we were knocked out."
The older man's face darkened as he spoke. Kakashi liked to be prepared for any scenario and kept a constant supply of a variety of weapons attached to his body at all times; it had been a long time since he felt so vulnerable, and it was not a welcome feeling.
"If I could get these ropes off, I might be able to do something." Sasuke muttered, keeping a watchful eye out for their assailant. "Is there anything sharp around?"
He turned to see Sakura shaking uncontrollably, emerald eyes wide and complexion ghostly pale. It was evident that his charge was losing focus under the looming threat of being returned to Madara, and her fear was quickly being converted into overwhelming anxiety.
Everything they had worked for, everything they had sacrificed…
It wouldn't be for nothing.
Sasuke's jaw squared in determination. "Sakura." He spoke gently.
The girl didn't respond.
"Sakura!" Sasuke hissed a bit louder. Finally, Sakura looked up, lips quivering as she met onyx eyes hardened by resolution.
"We're going to be fine." The raven-haired male asserted. "As long as we don't give up."
The girl stared blankly at him for a moment, much like a lost child, but a second later emerald eyes slipped into focus and she gave a curt nod.
"Good. Do you see anything we can use around you?" he asked. Sakura glanced around her, lips pressed together into a thin line as she and Kakashi searched each crack and crevice available to them. Sasuke joined them but found nothing; only dirty boxes and smooth concrete were accessible to him, and neither offered any potential use.
"Sasuke." Sakura whispered urgently, keeping her voice low. Sasuke glanced up to see her face alight with excitement as she motioned behind her with a nervous twitch. Sitting on the ground and pushed underneath some fallen debris was a single rusted nail, invisible to all parts of the room except where Sakura was sitting.
Sasuke's eyes swept from Sakura to Kakashi and he nodded. While the raven-haired male kept a sharp lookout for their captor, Sakura slowly made her way backwards until she discretely grabbed the nail, which she proceeded to hide in a tightly closed fist. After Sasuke motioned that they were in the clear, Sakura rolled the nail to him, pink lips parted in relief as he fluidly retrieved the tool without notice.
Adrenaline coursed through Sasuke's veins as he began rubbing the nail against his bindings, all the while watching the mercenary's every move. He doubted they would get another chance as good as this one, and from the looks on Kakashi and Sakura's faces, they thought so as well.
For the next few minutes Sasuke worked, perspiration dripping down his forehead as he grinded the tip of the nail against the rope. It was a grueling and difficult task due to the awkward positioning and progress was slower than Sasuke would have liked; he was only about a fourth through the bindings before their captor came back to check on them, the man's pointy teeth showing in a triumphant grin.
"Why hello, princess." He crooned with a sarcastic bow. "It's an honor to meet you."
Sakura remained silent, her eyes shining with fury.
"The silent treatment, eh?" the man straightened, face turning cold. "I can't say I like your attitude."
"I would advise you not to touch her." Kakashi spoke flatly as the mercenary gently caressed Sakura's cheek, causing the girl to shudder. The man turned to him after pushing Sakura away, his expression merciless.
"I don't think you're in a position to make threats." Their captor hissed. "My men will be here any moment now, and soon you'll be back at home in your lovely kingdom."
"You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into." Kakashi replied calmly. "Do you really think that Madara will honor his part of the deal?"
"For some reason I doubt that you're so concerned about my well-being." The man sneered.
With alarm, Sasuke noted that the sun was rising, flooding the room with a reddish hue. As their captor continued to threaten Kakashi, the raven-haired male began working on his bindings once again, desperately hacking at the stubborn rope with the nail that Sakura had found. At his side, Sakura determinedly kept her gaze straight forward as to not attract attention to what Sasuke was doing.
Halfway there…
"Well, what do we have here?" the man said suddenly. Sasuke looked up only to have his stomach turn as the mercenary stared directly at him, and a moment later the nail was ripped from his grasp and relocated into their captor's hands.
Sakura gave a muffled cry as Sasuke was picked up by the collar, the tip of the nail pressed against his jugular.
"It seems as though I've been a bit too nice to you." The man hissed, digging the nail into Sasuke's skin. "Madara never said anything about bringing you unharmed, but I didn't see the need to exert myself. It seems as though I was wrong."
"You need me alive." Sasuke spat out, limbs hanging uselessly at his side.
"Yes." The man agreed. "But not unharmed."
Sasuke grunted as Zabuza ground the tip of the nail into his cheek, rusted iron breaking skin as it was slowly dragged downwards. The raven-haired male refrained from crying out as blood trickled to the floor, but he kept his gaze calmly trained upon his aggressor.
Zabuza sneered and the nail moved up from his cheek to his eye.
"This will hurt." The mercenary hissed. Sakura screamed as the nail drew back, and Sasuke's eyes instinctively closed as the man's arm began to swing forward.
"You've always had peculiar tastes, Zabuza."
The new voice caused all four occupants to whirl around, only to find that the warehouse was still empty. Sasuke was dropped back onto the floor as their captor threw the nail away from him in favor of retrieving the sword from his back.
"I'd recognize that voice anywhere." Zabuza looked around wildly, eyes narrowed. "Come out, Naruto."
"Who said I'm hiding?"
A figure moved to the east and Sasuke started as the enigmatic blonde dropped to the ground from one of the windows, having previously used the glare of the rising sun to mask his movements. For a moment, Sasuke questioned his own sanity at seeing Naruto suddenly reappear in front of them, but soon it became clear that he was no illusion. The blonde had shed his kimono from the night earlier, instead donned in a simple white shirt and black pants. Without the superfluous fabric masking his figure, it was now clear that the blonde was lean and supple, with well defined muscles highlighted by caramel-kissed skin.
Sasuke looked away.
"Zabuza." The blonde repeated. "I don't like having things stolen from me."
The shark-like man carefully raised his sword in front of him.
"Don't think I've forgotten my grudge." He growled. "Haku's grudge. I told you to watch your back – it's time I kept my word."
"Whoah there, hold on a minute." Naruto raised his hands nervously. "The thing with Haku-"
"Don't speak his name with your filthy tongue, scum." Zabuza hissed. He began to circle around the blonde with a predatory gleam in his eyes, and Sasuke was forced to wonder what exactly Naruto had come here to achieve. He had already made himself perfectly clear when he rejected their request; what was the purpose of him being here now?
Coincidence?
No. The mischievous spark buried within dazzling cerulean told him otherwise.
Was he here to wrestle the profit away from his acquaintance?
That would have been the more likely reason had the blonde not given up a much easier opportunity only hours beforehand.
A familiar wave of irritation washed over the raven-haired male as he eyed Naruto warily, overly conscious of every move and every flash of bronze skin. The blue-eyed man put him on edge, even without posing any immediate danger.
"Oi. I'm not here to fight you." The blonde spoke, backing up a few steps.
Zabuza advanced, every inch of his body radiating with bloodlust. He had had a dangerous aura surrounding him from the very beginning, but upon Naruto's arrival it had increased to such a magnitude that it hung heavily in the air.
Sasuke could recognize bad blood from a mile away.
"Funny that you say you're not here to fight, yet you brought a weapon all the same." Zabuza commented dryly, crouching forward as he remained poised for his attack. "It's just the kind of crap you like to pull."
"Just because I brought a weapon doesn't mean I'm the one who's going to use it." The blonde replied pleasantly. "You know I don't like violence."
Sasuke's eyes narrowed as he recognized for the first time the blade strapped to Naruto's side, and electricity ran through his veins as his body gave an involuntary twitch forward.
The blonde was holding his sword.
How the hell did he get it?
Noticing his line of vision, Naruto winked at him with a small smirk tugging on his lips. Sasuke glared murderously back, unable to decipher the blonde's true intentions.
"What are scheming this time, damn fox?" Zabuza hissed, narrowing his eyes.
Naruto shrugged.
"I thought I'd do a bit of community service and return this beauty to its owner." He answered, drawing Sasuke's blade so that it glinted underneath the rays streaming into the warehouse. "You were careless to leave such a gem behind, Zabuza. This is one of the finest blades I've ever had to pleasure of laying eyes on."
Sasuke stilled at the blonde's words.
Returning it?
"Enough of your nonsense." The mercenary spat on the ground. "It's time to settle things."
With a roar Zabuza charged forward with his sword poised for attack, aiming to finish things quickly with a swift blow to the neck. Sasuke watched as the blonde dodged the attack fluidly by flipping to the side on his one free hand, bringing him inches away from where Sasuke sat. The raven-haired male's eyes widened as Naruto wasted no time in drawing his sword from his sheath, the edge of its blade centered on Sasuke's chest.
"I'm taking the job." The blonde said bluntly. "We'll go over the fine print later."
The job?
Zabuza lunged forward as Naruto swung the blade down.
"Sasuke!" Sakura cried, unable to refrain from crying out as the blonde swung the sword, its movement too fast to see where it had struck. She covered her eyes only to peek through them, and what she saw made her drop her hands altogether as she stared with lips parted.
Sasuke stood with his sword pushing against Zabuza's as he parried his attack, his bindings sprawled on the floor where they had landed after being cut. Naruto stood beside them with a satisfied expression, his hands now free of the blade he had been holding earlier.
"I should have known you were planning something, treacherous fuck." Zabuza growled hatefully in the blonde's direction.
"Just doing my job, Zabuza. Nothing personal." The blonde mused. "Don't you think you have more pressing matters at hand?"
Sasuke deflected Zabuza's with a wide swing of his blade and kicked him square in the chest, pushing the other man backwards and knocking him off balance. The raven-haired male could feel the familiar feelings of power and control flowing back into him, and he stared down at his opponent with cold eyes.
Just as he moved to take a step forward, the doors to the warehouse swung open to reveal a group of men, each of them armed and alert as they flooded into the room. Zabuza rose with a smirk stretching across his face, and he lazily retrieved his sword from where it had fallen beside him.
"Shit." Naruto cursed, eyeing the newcomers warily as Sasuke quickly assumed a defensive stance.
"You were too late, Naruto." Zabuza licked his blade greedily. "And now you're going to pay."