Warning: Rated 17+, same clusterfuck as usual
.
-o0o-
The metallic bitter taste of blood filled Deidara's mouth, but that was the least of his worries. Standing up, he spat out the blood and wiped his mouth. Icy blue eyes stared daggers at the infuriated man who was staring back at him. Though he supposed that he deserved the punch and the irritated stares from his other teammates. If it weren't for Kisame holding Itachi back, he would more than likely still be on the ground, staring at the starless sky.
On the outside, he feigned hostility perfectly; yet on the inside he felt high-strung. Despite how many times Hidan assured him that Itachi viewed him as the same "slum rat" that they came across on the streets of Iwa - the man had never actually looked at him that way. Itachi was never social like the other members, but he was never curt towards him. But now, those dark eyes were overflowing with contempt.
Deidara knew that in that moment, Itachi hated him.
Everything had happened so fast: Deidara told Itachi about his involvement and how he knew about Hidan's interest in Neji weeks ago. The next thing he knew, Sasori ended up with a bruised jaw, Konan was still on the ground cradling her injured hand and Kisame was currently taking major blows to the ribs. Itachi was beyond furious when he heard the information; anyone that had attempted to get in his way suffered the consequences.
"You need to fucking relax!" Kisame grabbed Itachi's arm and twisted it behind his back. "I understand you being pissed off, but you went too far by attacking Konan!"
Itachi glanced over at Konan who was sitting on the damp grass with a worried expression on her face. He hadn't meant to hurt her. The last thing that he would ever want to do was hurt Konan. In reality, he didn't see anyone else but Deidara. He had tunnel vision; the only thing that mattered was beating the living shit out of the blond. All he heard was Neji and Hidan in the same sentence and he just snapped - blacked out and attacked the man in a bind rage.
"Let me go," Itachi calmly demanded. "I'm cool." It was only partially the truth. But he was calm enough to not attack anyone who didn't deserve it.
"Itachi, if I let you go and you go all ape shit on our asses again, I'm going to stop holding back and you're going to regret it." Kisame warned.
"Hn."
Once he was released, Itachi walked over to Konan and kneeled down next to her. Gently, he examined her wrist. "Forgive me." He said quietly. Although he was well aware that Konan's pain didn't derive from the fractured wrist. It was because it was him who had attacked her.
Konan hissed when he lightly lifted her hand. "It's broken." She pulled her hand away and looked at him. "Go check on Neji. Kakashi is on his way so we can go over a new plan of action for retrieving Sasuke. Just make sure Neji is safe."
Nodding his head, Itachi helped the woman to her feet. His gaze fell on Deidara again; the desire to continue his assault was at the forefront of his mind. Konan must have read his mind because she placed her hand on his shoulder to stop him.
"That's enough, Itachi." Granted, she was highly disappointed in Deidara. His actions were inexcusable but Konan was also aware that Hidan had invisible shackles on the blond. She was surprised that he even told Itachi anything in the first place.
"I need to use a phone." Itachi walked back inside of the safe house. The den was destroyed from the earlier scuffle that eventually lead them all outside. He headed straight to the kitchen and used the phone. When Neji didn't answer, he slammed the phone down on the counter, breaking it in the process.
"Use this," Sasori walked through the arch of the kitchen. "It's a burner." He handed him the disposable phone.
Taking the phone, Itachi sent a quick text to Neji's phone before calling again. Unadulterated panic infiltrated his blood streams, causing his hands to slightly tremble as he texted another message. His traitorous mind supplied him with mental images of Neji being tortured repeatedly. "I'll kill him." Impassively, Itachi stared at the dimming screen of the phone. "If a single strand of hair is missing from Neji's scalp...I'll kill him."
The frigid iciness of Itachi's words chilled Sasori's blood. Not for a second did he doubt the man's ability to make the threat a reality. Sighing in exasperation, Sasori ran his fingers through his hair. When were people going to learn to stop pissing Itachi off? As if Otogakure wasn't a prime example of why it was an unwise decision.
"Keep trying to get in contact with him." Sasori could see the sanity seeping out of the Uchiha. "I'll pull up Hidan's tracker." The man was so close to having the life that he deserved - all of them were so close to living a life of normalcy, he couldn't allow Itachi to slip again. "You're not alone in this, Itachi." His goal was to make sure that every last one of them survived this ordeal with their mental stability intact.
. . . .
"...whatever happens neither of you will leave this car."
"I know that car. What the -"
Two gunshots cracked in the distance followed by the sound of a blood curdling scream. The scream tore through Itachi like a great shard of glass. Even though he knew that it wasn't Neji's scream, it still caused his heart to thud like a rock rattling in a box. The sound of glass shattering and metal slamming against asphalt was the last things that he heard before the line went dead.
As soon as it came, the hope that he'd felt when Neji's number flashed across his screen, was obliterated until the only thing that remained was emptiness. A dead silence hung over the occupants in the dining room. Since the call had been placed on speakerphone, every last one of them heard the crash. Konan had noticed how relieved Itachi looked when the phone rung; it broke her heart to see the deadened look in his eyes now.
From what she gathered, the tires were shot, which was very risky because it never had the same outcome. There was a very strong possibility that no one even survived the wreck. Everyone in the dining room knew that, but no one would dare say it out loud. Not out of fear, but mainly out of respect.
Sasori stood up first and made his way to the living room which served as their temporary technology base. Silently, Deidara followed behind him so he could hack into the traffic and security cameras in Konoha to see if any of them had footage of the wreck. Kisame picked up his phone and called Kakashi to see how far out he was from their location. While he waited for the man to pick up he left the room as well.
Only Konan and Itachi remained seated at the dining table. They sat across from each other; both of their gazes were focused on a random area in the room. Words escaped Konan. Every sentence that she attempted to form in her head sounded artificial and inadequate. She simply had no idea what to say to Itachi at that point. So, Konan remained seated as a show of physical support.
Meanwhile, Itachi didn't even notice the woman's presence. He was too occupied with wracking his brain for any signs that he'd missed. If Deidara hadn't told him he would have never suspected that Neji had any previous interaction with Hidan. Who was to blame? Was it Deidara for remaining silent or him for not being privy to Hidan's knowledge of Neji?
"Kakashi is fifteen minutes out." Kisame announced when he stepped back into the dining room. "He has information that may help us locate Madara. We'll get the full details once they arrive."
That's right. They still needed to locate Madara's location in order for him to get Sasuke back. That meant that he needed to make a decision and fast.
There were no angels in Hell. Yet amidst the backdrop of the raging flames, Tenten gazed into the eyes of a celestial being. Only an angel would wrap their arms around her like a cage and protect her body from the scorching heat. She was dimly aware of the angel speaking to her; gently caressing her face, sending warmth through her, keeping the icy grasp of death at bay.
"Stay with me!" Tokuma pleaded. He could see the light receding from her amber orbs. "Please, Tenten!"
Tears made wet tracks down his face, landing on her cheeks, Tenten wanted to wipe them away because angels weren't supposed to cry. But her arms wouldn't obey the command. Cold licked at her face and crept under her clothes, spreading across her skin. The last thing she remembered before the darkness overcame her was being kissed by an angel.
Frantically, Tokuma checked the woman's pulse again. It was very faint but that was better than nothing. He was beyond grateful that that he trusted his instincts or they would have both been caught in the explosion. Although, now he was afraid that he had been too rough with the woman when he hurriedly pulled her from the car. It wasn't until she was in his arms that he noticed the extent of her injuries. Wiping his eyes, he cradled the woman's head in his lap and took in her full appearance. There was a nasty gash on the side of her head, several scratches on her face and her ankle was sprained. However, her more severe injuries came from her own concealed weapons.
In the distance, he could hear sirens heading in their direction. Minutes later four unmarked sedans pulled up and Hiashi was running towards him with a panicked expression on his face. Tokuma had never in his life seen the man look so defeated. Several of his guards were right behind him as Hiashi approached.
Natsu went straight to Tenten and worked on removing the shuriken from the woman's body in order to stabilize her before the ambulance arrived. She was honestly surprised that the girl was still alive. "I'll have to remove her shirt to bandage her." She was already in the process of cutting off the bloody shirt.
All of the men quickly averted their gazes and focused on the burning vehicle instead. Removing his shirt, Tokuma folded it and gently placed it under TenTen's head before standing up.
"Forgive me, Hiashi-sama." Tokuma kept his eyes downcast in shame. "I have failed you."
"No, Tokuma. You are not to blame." Hiashi placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "I am sure that you fought bravely." He wasn't upset at anyone other than himself and the man who was responsible for the current state of things.
"Seije has his men scouring the city for Neji's whereabouts." Hoheto informed him. "I have also dispatched men to the airport as well."
An ambulance pulled up and the EMTs jumped out of the vehicle. Hiashi briefly informed them of the situation before they headed towards Tenten. Tokuma watched as TenTen was placed on the stretcher. His own injuries had been completely forgotten as he made sure that the woman was protected from the flames and any debris that may have flew from the explosion.
"Tokuma!" Hiashi supported the boy's weight as he stumbled over. "You can rest for now. You have fulfilled your duty. Allow us to take over from here."
Sparing another glance to the inside of the ambulance, Tokuma finally allowed himself to feel the pain that he'd been suppressing. He would have to just put his faith in the emergency medical technicians and trust that Tenten would be fine. With that in mind, Tokuma closed his eyes and Hiashi caught him before he could hit the ground.
. . . . .
Tokuma and Tenten were rushed to Konoha General. The former had experienced a severe loss of blood and needed an immediate blood transfusion. Hiashi was beyond grateful that the both survived the wreck. Despite his callousness, he had always been fond of Tenten; she was a very strong and loyal woman. At one point, Hiashi had thought that Neji would eventually ask permission to marry her - in which he would've have happily obliged. According to Hoheto, it was Tokuma who was actually enamored with the woman.
He hadn't really given the situation much thought. Especially not with everything that had been going on. It was a matter that he would have to ponder once the smoke cleared, until then he could only focus on a more important issue.
Once Hiashi learned of Neji's abduction, he quickly put his emotional mask of indifference back on. He would need to remain levelheaded if he planned on getting his nephew back unharmed. The disk lay broken at the bottom of his waist bin; as if it were truly that easy for him to hide what he had done to Hizashi. According to the dates on the film, his brother had been tortured for three days before he was killed. Now his nephew had been taken by the same culprit.
"I fear my past has come back to haunt me." Hiashi quietly confessed to the bowed heads of his loyal guards. "As you all know, Neji has been abducted less than two hours ago. So far there have been no signs of the assailant." With his hands clasped behind his back he paced the floors of the dojo. "It is safe to assume that he is no longer in the city. However, I have an idea of where we can find it."
Hiashi was tired of sitting behind his desk and barking orders. It was time for him to get his hands dirty; not pay someone else to do it or order a branch member to do it. He did not allow Saki to leave without training her properly and taking the necessary precautions. Although, things were not going exactly according to his plan, it was of no consequence.
"It is time that I told you all the truth about Saki," Hiashi noticed the way a few of the guards shared bewildered glances. Of course they wouldn't really know her by that name. "I am referring to your sister, 00931." Bewilderment turned into recognition, as the guards immediately realized who he was referring to.
In order to avoid a revolt, Hiashi glossed over Saki's main purpose. If he were to tell them the truth about his brother's death it would surely cause dissension among the clan and at a time like this, unity was pivotal. So he continued to lie, fabricate reality - anything that he needed to do in order to make sure that Neji and Saki were both returned to the compound. Only afterwards would he fully confess to his crimes.
Madara and his band of miscreants had crossed him for the last time. Now he was going to bring the fight to them and end the Akatsuki once and for all.
A heavy silence settled over them, thicker than the uneasy tension in the atmosphere. Kakashi kept his eyes on the road, but his mind was on the man that was sitting on the passenger's side. At one point they had been best friends, so of course the silence surrounding them would always be awkward. Add the fact that Kakashi was the one who murdered Obito's girlfriend and it was the most painfully fucking awkward silence ever.
Normally, he would avoid situations like this by removing himself altogether, but there wasn't much that he could do at the moment. Every song on the radio seemed to be aimed at their situation in one way or another. Small talk was totally out of the question and Obito looked as if he were waiting on him to say something so he could tear him a new one. So Kakashi opted to just think about his fiancé.
Eventually, even the thoughts about Iruka were corrupted by the memories of his past. Truthfully it was difficult to think about Iruka, and not think about his past mistakes. He and Iruka had been dating for only a few weeks when he knocked on the man's door late at night, carrying Rin in his arms. Unfortunately, Rin had woken him up from one of his nightmares. Kakashi, in turn pierced her with a tanto blade. He had known that she was dead long before he placed her in the back seat of his car and drove to Iruka's.
In that one night so much had changed in Kakashi's life: He killed his best friend, ruined a friendship, and found his soulmate. Now, he was very aware that the situation was not a laughing matter, not in the least. It was one of the worse nights of his life, one that he would never forget as long as he lived. Yet he could not help but to smile when he reflected on Iruka's initial response that night.
Iruka, his sweet doting fiancé's first response was, "I'll go grab the shovel." He had been so stunned that he just stood there in the garage, watching the man as he frantically searched for the tool. As morbid as it was, Kakashi couldn't help but to think that in that moment he had found the love of his life.
Obito had been under the impression that Kakashi and Rin were lovers but they were simply close friends. She was his confidant; the person who knew all of his dark secrets and kept him sane. But no matter how many times he tried apologizing; Obito would not believe a word that he said. To make matters worse Lord Third covered the incident up because of Kakashi's position in ANBU. It was one of the main reasons why Obito was so easily turned against Konoha.
"He isn't going to fall for Konoha's schemes." Obito's raspy voice pulled the man out of his musings. "Madara is far too clever." His devotion to the senile old mad truly grated on Kakashi's nerves. He had known Obito to be a little dense, but never that foolhardy.
Kakashi responded on a sigh, "If you just follow the plan accordingly everything will be fine."
"The plan is ridiculous." Obito scoffed. "But it is Konoha so what do I expect." He muttered to himself, but loud enough for Kakashi to hear him. His intentions were to get under the man's skin; he detested how calm the man always was. No matter the situation, Kakashi always remained levelheaded but he wanted to see the insanity that he knew was lurking underneath.
"If the plan doesn't work it will be because you didn't follow through with it, Obito."
"Do not say my name so casually! We are not friends or associates - we are nothing. I am nobody to you!"
"Okay Nobody." Kakashi parked the car outside of the Akatsuki's safe house. "Just stick to the plan and everything will be fine."
After the death of Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha, Kakashi had suspected that it was Obito. He had conducted countless investigations but found nothing. It wasn't until he listened to the man's interrogation tape that he learned the truth. Maybe the person sitting in the passenger's seat was "Nobody" to him because the Obito that he knew would never harm anyone.
The front door to the house opened, Sasori stepped out and closed the door behind him. Per usual, it was hard to decipher the man's emotions. "Captain Kakashi," Sasori glanced at the other man. "Hn." Then he turned his attention back to Kakashi. "Long story short: Neji has been abducted by Hidan. Itachi is furious. It would be best if he doesn't see Obito right now because he is out for blood. There is interference in Hidan's tracker so I can't locate him. Forgive my language, but there is a shit load of other things that I'm probably overlooking."
"Where is Itachi now?"
Itachi opened the front door, as though he were conjured. He took one look at Obito and crossed the distance. He had yet to repay Obito for breaking into his house and aiming a gun at his brothers - yes Naruto was his brother. There was nobody else to take his anger out on - since Konan was protecting Deidara - so he would take it out on the man who murdered his parents. And who was more fitting to be on the receiving end of his anger?
"He is the only person that can get in contact with Madara!" Kakashi reminded him. "And he already has! We will be meeting him at dawn in a designated location!"
The last part caused Itachi to stop dead in his tracks. He eyed the man suspiciously because there was no way in hell that Madara was going to just meet with any of them. "Pardon me?" He inclined his head in Kakashi's direction.
"Obito contacted Madara and the man agreed to meet with him. He has no idea that it's a trap."
Itachi gave the captain a once over, as if he had just said the most idiotic thing ever, and he had as far as he was concerned. He heard Sasori's hysterical laugh from behind him, and he could have sworn that he also heard laughter from inside of the house - more than likely from Kisame. Every single Akatsuki member knew that Madara was more than likely aware of the ploy. Itachi saw a gleam in Kakashi's dark eyes; it was apparent that the man was also aware that the plan wouldn't work.
So why was he going through with it? Realization came later than it should have, but Itachi's mind was too focused on saving Neji and Sasuke, so he was allowed a free pass of idiocy - if only briefly. The plan wouldn't work but that wasn't Konoha's true plan. It was similar to their time in Otogakure. Except this time it was Obito who was the bait.
"Madara will not risk himself for me!" Obito had known that Konoha was incompetent but this was on an entire different level. "The plan will never work because my life would never be placed above his plans. He is far too ambitious and - "The sound of a gun cocking so close to his head put an immediate halt to his speech.
Itachi's voice was lethally quiet. "If you don't have any value to him then I may as well kill you now. So try again." He pressed the barrel of the gun hard against the man's temple. "Tell me you have value. Tell me that he will come for you, and I won't pull the trigger."
"Yes!" Obito gasped out. Out of everything that he knew about Itachi, one fact remained consistent. The man did not bluff. "He will come for me!"
"Very well." Itachi lowered the gun and placed it back in his shoulder holster. "Once Sasori has located Hidan I will set out to retrieve my husband." He directed his attention to Kakashi, whom was relieved that the man hadn't pulled the trigger.
"Why would Hidan abduct Neji?" Do you think he is working with Madara?" Kakashi asked.
"That is a very strong possibility." Sasori walked over and stood next to Itachi. Then he continued. "Although, I do not doubt that Hidan has his own ulterior motives, he may be heading to meet up with Madara. Itachi it would probably be best if you hold off on leaving until we know for sure."
"Do you have any idea what could happen to Neji during that time? I need to get him back as soon as possible!"
"I understand your concern but try to think rationally."
"Think rationally? Do you have any idea of what Hidan is capable of?" The few missions that he'd been on with the maniac were enough for him to know that Hidan was short tempered and wouldn't hesitate to kill Neji.
"I've known Hidan longer than you, Itachi! I know exactly what he's capable of!" Sasori voice rose only slightly but it was enough to express his growing irritation. "But there is a strong chance that Madara and Hidan are working together. Instead of splitting up, we should all stick together because I have a feeling that Madara will not be alone. If you want to get both of them back you need to relax and think clearly!"
"He's right, Itachi." Kisame stood in the doorway with his arms crossed. "You need to take a moment to clear your head or you'll jeopardize this entire operation."
Itachi knew that they were right. Nonetheless, he still felt as if he should be doing something - anything other than just standing there. Without a word, he walked past Kisame and stepped into the house.
"Deidara, I need to have a word with you."
-o0o-
A muscle twitched involuntarily at the corner of Deidara's right eye, his mouth formed a rigid grimace. His gaze never left the man who was seated across from him. The only thing that separated him from a pissed off Uchiha was a glass coffee table. Though this time he was prepared if the man decided to attack him again; he'd blow Itachi to the moon if he made one wrong move.
"You've rigged the floorboards with explosives." The words were oddly flat, half-statement, half-question.
Snorting, Deidara revealed the detonator in his left hand. "Gotta watch my back. Now how about we skip the foreplay and get right to it?"
"Why is Hidan interested in Neji?"
"I already told you that he killed the kid's dad."
"That does not answer my question," Itachi said. He clasped his hands in his lap as an act of self-restraint. "I guess I should rephrase it. What are his exact plans for Neji?"
Deidara's brows furrowed and he shook his head. "I don't think you really want to know that Itachi." He didn't think that repeating Hidan's exact words would be a smart move. Also, he felt as if it would only make matters worse for Itachi. The man was already a wreck, if he knew the details - he didn't even want to think about it.
Abruptly, Itachi laughed. More like a chuckle, but the sound disturbed the blond on several levels. "Would I be wasting my time talking to you if I didn't want to know?"
"Oh yeah that's right, you don't waste time on people like me!"
Itachi's nostrils flared in anger, his lips becoming a thin white line. "Did you jeopardize his life out of bitter jealously?" Briefly he closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Do you want to know why I really rejected you?" He sat up straight in his seat. If he wanted to get down to the bottom of everything he would have to clear up a few things first.
"Regale me!"
"I could spot your insecurities from a mile away. If I wanted to, I could've had you properly trained to do as I pleased with barely a snap of my fingers." His words weren't arrogant; it was the brutal inescapable truth. "You were immature, Deidara and you still are. I would've given you the night that you so desperately sought and that would've been the end of it. Can't you see that I was doing you a favor?"
Deidara froze, his head jerking back as if he'd been slapped. "What's the difference between me and him? Social status?" He quietly asked. "How do you know that it wouldn't have been more than that?"
During that time, Itachi was only eighteen and the last thing on his mind was being serious with anyone. Actually, he had never even considered it until Neji came along. "Social status has nothing to do with it, Deidara. I don't care about materialistic things like that." He said low and vehemently. "You seek validation from the wrong people. How you are unaware of your own worth, is beyond me. But it's not up to me to convince you of that; you have to convince yourself."
Glancing down at his left hand, Deidara relaxed his hold on the detonator. Sighing, he placed the device on the coffee table. "Hidan..." He had to clear his throat to keep his voice from cracking. "I saw him a few nights ago. Before we headed here. He was drunk." Wrapping his arms around himself he tried to keep it together as he reflected on that night.
"Deidara?" Itachi leaned forward. "What did he do to you?"
"It doesn't matter. I'm used to it..." He sighed. "But it'll be worse for Neji. You see, Hidan actually likes him."
"I don't think that I'm following you."
"The only reason why I'm still alive is because Hidan isn't in love with me." He motioned his hands as though he were searching for the right word. "It's some Jashin ritualistic bullshit, yeah. He thinks that true love is expressed only through death."
Itachi blinked, a long slow blink, and Deidara thought that even his eyelashes quivered in irritation. "So because he...doesn't love you he hasn't killed you. However, he is in love with Neji?"
"Yes. He's going to have his fill of him and then kill him." Deidara didn't learn about that last part until two nights ago. But that didn't change what he had done. He should've told someone - anyone about Hidan's interest in the boy.
"You thought that Hidan cared about you so you confided in him. He was the one who told you everything that you wanted to hear. So naturally your loyalty was with him." Itachi stood up. "But the person that truly cares about you has been in front of you - by your side rather - this entire time, Deidara."
"What?" Deidara pondered over the man's words, trying to decipher them as best as he could. Then his mouth fell open in realization. When he looked up to confirm it with Itachi, he had already walked out of the room. "He can't possibly mean that..." Shaking his head, the blond dismissed the insane thought. He wasn't even going to try to get his hopes up.
The laughter wracked through Itachi's body with such intensity that it caused him to fall to his knees. Konan stood back, her eyes transfixed on the tableau before her. It was pure, unadulterated insanity. There was no other way to describe it. She was afraid yet it was such a prepossessing sight to witness that she couldn't tear her eyes away in fear that she would miss something.
"Son of a bitch!" Kakashi punched the ground violently. "Son of a..." His breath sawed out of him as his fingers dug into the damp earth. Things did not go according to their plan - not in the slightest. Everything had been perfect: The location, their positions, and the plan. But Madara -
Disinterestedly, Sasori stared down at Obito's corpse. If he didn't despise the man so much he would've admired Madara. They had met at the designated location. Of course, Madara was nowhere in sight. He had known - the Akatsuki - had known that the man wouldn't show. However, Sasori expected him to have an army of mercenaries waiting to ambush them, but there was no one there.
Except for a single sniper who killed Obito as soon as the man stepped foot in the clearing. Once his body hit the ground, Itachi was doubling over in laughter. There was no doubt in his mind that the sniper was long gone by now and neither one of them even considered giving chase. Sasori knew that it probably wasn't the best time to question the captain on Konoha's exact plan. It was too soon to put salt in the open wound.
Well, Itachi didn't share his sentiment.
Standing up, Itachi dusted the dirt off of his knees. "There goes an hour that'll I'll never get back." He chuckled again.
Kakashi stood up as well. "A man was just murdered Itachi! Show some respect!"
"If Madara didn't kill him I would've ended up doing it." Itachi shrugged nonchalantly. "He showed no respect when he stabbed my Mother in the back. Besides drop the act, Kakashi. Konoha had no qualms with using him as bait." He turned on his heel and headed back to his car. "Now instead of standing here mourning the death of someone I can give two shits about, I'm going to go find a way to get Neji and Sasuke back."
"He's right," Konan didn't spare another glance to Obito's lifeless body as she followed behind Itachi. "We've only wasted precious time."
"We're back to square one." Sasori pulled out his phone to contact Deidara and Kisame. "Hidan has somehow tampered with his tracker and now we have no way to locate Sasuke or Neji."
"I know," Kakashi walked over to Obito's body and scooped him up in his arms. "I just deluded myself with the idea that he could have been saved."
Sasori watched the captain's retreating form. "You can't save everyone, Kakashi."
The stack of papers hit the mahogany desk with a little more force than necessary. Leisurely, Hiashi raked his eyes over the bold words until a manicured finger pointed at one word in particular. "Abolished!" The woman informed him, as if he didn't know how to read on his own.
Sporting a shit eating grin, with her arms crossed under a very well-endowed chest, was the Godaime Hokage. "Read it and weep, Hyuga!" She was entirely too full of herself in that moment, but she honestly didn't give a damn. For the past two days and nights she had been researching ways to abolish the Clan Act and just that morning she met with Konoha's council. Before Tsunade left for Kirigakure, she had to personally deliver the message to Hiashi.
"Gloating is so unbecoming of you, Hokage-sama." Outwardly, he remained impassive; inwardly he was sweating bullets. Hiashi really didn't have the time to deal with this kind of interference right now. It had been sixteen hours since Neji's abduction and the longer they waited the worse off his nephew was.
"You're awfully smug for someone who's about to have their ass thrown in prison!" Tsunade took a seat and crossed her legs demurely. "I also noticed the little army that you've formed outside in the courtyard. Is there a battle that I'm unaware of?" She titled her head allowing her long blonde tresses to sway slightly. "What are you up to?"
"Such vulgar language for a woman of your stature. Do you have no sense of decorum?"
"Not for people who had their own brother murdered in cold blood." Tsunade's tone was laced with bitter malice.
Sneering, Hiashi leaned forward in his seat. "What do you know? You're an only child!" He waved a dismissive hand at the woman.
The sharp sound of wood splitting yanked his attention to the woman's grip on the chair's armrest. "For your information, I'm not an only child! I have - had a younger brother and I can assure you that I would've done anything to keep him safe!" Her younger brother, Nawaki, died during an assassination attempt on her grandfather. If she could, she would turn back the hands of time and take the bullet in his place.
"I didn't know. Forgive me."
"Save it!" Tsunade stood up from her seat and flipped her hair over her shoulder. "As of now you are on house arrest until the day of your trial. Leave this compound and I will make you regret every fucked up decision that you have ever made!" It was a promise more than a threat and he knew it.
The door to his office opened and six ANBU operatives silently stepped in, as if they were floating instead of walking. They stood by and awaited the Hokages orders with their heads bowed. "If he tries to leave incapacitate him and transport him to the tower."
"Hai, Hokage-sama!"
Tsunade walked out of the room. Hiashi went to follow her, but his path was blocked by the operatives. How did he expect to get his nephew back if he couldn't even leave the compound?
"Hokage-sama wait!" Hiashi hated the sound of desperation in his voice but he couldn't dwell on that. "My nephew has been taken by one of Madara's henchmen!"
"I know."
Frowning, Hiashi waited for the woman to re-enter the room. "You know? And yet you do nothing?" He asked incredulously.
Tsunade crossed over the threshold until they were standing mere inches apart. "Don't stand there as if this isn't your fault, Hiashi! I shouldn't have to do anything because this should've never happened in the first place! You can be a little gracious that I am allowing several members of the Yakuza... the fucking Yakuza...run rampant in my city in search of your nephew! Not only that but I have dispatched reports to our allied nations to be on the lookout as well. I'm not going to just sit back while he pays the price for your mistakes!"
"Neither will I!" Hiashi all but screamed at the Hokage. "I refuse to just sit here and wait!"
"You have no choice."
"Like hell I do!" He'd been so infuriated that he didn't notice how close the ANBU operatives were now.
They had been gradually closing the distance, ready to strike if he made the slightest move to attack. Likewise, his own elite guards were no longer in the courtyard but in the hallway also waiting for the operatives to make a move.
"Call them off." Tsunade calmly warned.
"No disrespect intended Hokage-sama, but there are 50 against 7."
"You dare to threaten me?"
"My nephew's life is on the line. Anyone that stands in my way is an enemy."
Tsunade cracked her knuckles; the urge to shatter every bone in the clan head's body was so strong. The blatant disrespect was enough to have the man locked away for treason. But she couldn't help but admire his dedication. "Do not think that for a second you are off the hook. Once you've retrieved Neji you will be placed on trial for your past crimes." With one snap of her fingers the operatives retreated.
"Hoheto, Natsu." Hiashi called out once the Hokage left the office. When the two branch members were kneeling before him he spoke again. "Saki has made contact. We will be leaving for Kusagakure at dawn."
It was the last thing that Neji expected to wake up to. A torture chamber or a cold dungeon had been at the top of his list. Instead he woke up, dressed in a crisp black tux, seated at an elegant dining table. A vaulted ceiling was high overhead, the beams dark with age. A gigantic limestone fireplace dominated one wall, necessary to generate enough warmth for the room which could easily seat two hundred people for dinner.
However, there were only four - five including him - seated at the vast table. The man that sat at the head of the table had his gaze fixed on him. There was something in his eyes that struck a chord of familiarity within Neji, but he had never seen the man before. Slowly he raked his eyes over the other occupants and he sucked in a sharp breath.
Seated to the right of the older man was a face that he did recognize from the photographs that adorned the walls of the Uchiha mansion.
Sasuke
The teenager was also dressed in a black tux. Similar to his brother, his skin was flawlessly pale and contrasted harshly against his ebony hair. In Neji's opinion the boy bore an uncanny resemblance to their mother. While Itachi's features were more sharp, and angular - Sasuke's were more rounded, effeminate even. Then his pale eyes went back to the man that was seated at the head of the table. After he had seen Sasuke, there was no doubt in his mind that the older man was Uchiha Madara. If it wasn't for the depraved look in his eyes, Neji would've thought that he was attractive for his age.
A slight movement to his left directed his attention to a young girl that was seated a few chairs over from him. She donned a black evening gown that made her look as if she was supposed to be attending a red carpet event rather having dinner with the likes of them. When the girl placed a few dark strands behind her ear, their eyes locked. She was a Hyuga, but he had never seen her before. Her pale orbs held something in them akin to remorse - pity even.
"About time you woke up, Hime."
Neji's heart thumped at the sound of the man's voice so close to his ear. He hated, hated the sound of Hidan's voice and it grated on his nerves like nails on a chalkboard. The last thing that he wanted was to be breathing the same air as the man. His hand moved before he had a proper plan of action.
"Told you I should've tied him up!" Hidan yelled as he clutched his right eye. "Fucking bitch!"
"Language, Hidan." Madara calmly scolded as he stood up from his seat. "Quite savage of you to stab him in the eye with a fork, Neji."
Neji's chair hit the marble floors with a loud thud; he clutched the silverware in his hands as if it could truly protect him from the two men. Quickly, he glanced over at Sasuke then at the young girl, but both of them kept their eyes downcast. Apparently, he was going to be on his own.
"Relax, Neji. "Madara had his hands raised in a placating fashion. "No harm will come to you if you cooperate."
"Bullshit!" This was the same man that turned on his own family; the same man who ruined Itachi's life. Trusting him would be the most idiotic thing that Neji had done besides hold a conversation with the sociopath that killed his friends.
That's right. Tokuma and Tenten are dead. Neji's face felt hot as though he were staring into the fire that had consumed his friends. He could still see the orange fist of flames as they seemed to punch their way out of the sedan.
"Hidan stop!"
The command pulled Neji's attention back to the dining hall. Hidan was breathing heavy, his fists were balled at his sides, and the murderous intent was clear in his eyes as he stared at Neji.
Let him stare. He'll find no apology. Neji thought.
"You're going to pay for that Hime!" Hidan promised. Then he smiled at him hungrily. "I've already caught a glimpse of that tight little body of yours while I undressed you." His violet eyes shuttered close as he recalled how responsive the man was even in his unconscious state.
Neji could feel the perspiration accumulating on his palms, announcing his fear. He looked down at the tuxedo and it finally dawned on him that someone had undressed him. And if the sated look on the man's face was anything to go by -
"What did you do to me?"
"Only half of what I have planned for you."
"Enough!" Madara shot a glare to Hidan before placing a hand on the small of the stunned teen's back. "Why don't you have a seat here?" He gestured for Neji to take the seat directly next to the young girl. "Here sit next to Saki."
Haphazardly, Neji's body responded to the command and he took a seat next to the young girl. Knowing that he had been in such a vulnerable state and that the man could've did anything to him made his skin crawl in revulsion. Hidan had promised that he had more planned for him but Neji would be damned if he gave in without a fight.
"Now that everyone is seated, dinner can be served." Madara took his seat back at the head of the table. He picked up a silver bell and rung it twice. A double door to the right was opened revealing a few servants who were carrying trays of food.
Once the food was set on the table, Madara picked up his wine glass. "Tonight we shall celebrate the dawn of a new era..."
Are you fucking kidding me? Neji could not believe that he was drugged here, molested and forced into this tuxedo, just so he could listen to a melodramatic monologue. On top of that his friends were...gone. Guilt settled in, eating away at his insides, leaving him hollow. Would his friends still be alive if he would've never interacted with Hidan in the first place? Or was it his involvement with Itachi that put them in harm's way? Either way, he was responsible for his friend's deaths. If they hadn't been trying to save him they would still be alive.
"Neji." The call of his name brought his attention back to Madara. "Forgive me for not saying so sooner, but congratulations on your marriage to my nephew." Sasuke's head instantly snapped up to look at the Hyuga. Smiling in satisfaction, the older man continued. "Though I'm a little put out that I had to receive the news from a secondary source."
"Married?" Sasuke couldn't believe his ears. This entire time he had thought that his brother was dead and that was the only thing keeping him from being rescued. But he was alive. "You told me that Itachi was dead!" He pulled his gaze from Neji and stared at his uncle accusingly.
"I was under the impression that he was dead. Forgive me, Sasuke." Madara feigned sincerity. "But it would appear that he was too occupied with getting married to Neji to worry about trying to get you back."
"That's a lie!" Neji saw it for what it was; Madara was a manipulative bastard. "You sent Itachi to Otogakure on a suicide mission! Since he's been back he's been worried sick about- "He felt a hard blow to the side of his face, cutting him off mid-sentence.
Hidan raked his fingers through Neji's hair, and then tugged the hairs at the nape of his neck, pulling his head back. "Keep quiet." He placed his hand on the man's thigh and squeezed it. "I don't like the way that you say his name. From now on, you'll only say my name. No one else's."
"Fuck you!" Neji bit out through clinched teeth.
"In due time."
Throwing his hands up in exasperation, Madara propped his elbow on the table and rested his face on his palm. "Dinner is not going as I had hoped." He sighed as though he were truly disappointed by the turn of events. "Sasuke, the truth of the matter is - Itachi no longer views you as his top priority. It is evident in his marriage to Neji. Instead of trying to save you, he eloped. How does that sit with you?"
Neji opened his mouth to speak, but was silenced by Hidan's hands creeping closer and closer to his groin. He swatted the man's hand away. "Don't you dare touch me!"
Saki shifted in her seat in agitation. "Madara-sama, May I be excused." She shot a nervous glance towards Hidan. "I've lost my appetite."
"Of course." Madara stood up. Eventually, Sasuke stood up as well along with Hidan who still had Neji by the hair. When she left the room, the men took their seats again. "Neji, have you and Saki ever met?" Madara picked up his wine glass and took a sip.
"No." Neji answered truthfully.
"Hn." Madara briefly thought over his next words. "I think you will find that you two share a lot in common." He said, a hard smile forming on his face. "But we'll get to that later. As of now, I only have one more question for you..." Glancing over at Sasuke, his smile widened. "Actually, it's for both of you."
Neji and Sasuke shared a look; one of trepidation the other of building hostility. With only a few words, Madara had successfully sowed the seeds of hatred in Sasuke. And all of the malice was aimed towards the pale eyed man that sat across from him. Sasuke didn't even know how the feeling truly developed. Just half an hour ago, he had been worried about whoever the unconscious person was.
"Who does Itachi love the most?" Madara asked. The bewildered look on the two teens' faces made his smile broaden - if that were even possible. He was smiling so hard that it was painful, but he just couldn't help but to bask in the jubilance. "Is it his younger brother? Or his lover? Aren't you two curious to know?" He stood up from his seat and walked over to Sasuke's side. "If Itachi was aware that both of you were in grave danger..."
Neji watched the way the rationality gradually abandoned Sasuke. The boy was impressionable; easily influenced by his emotions and it would be his downfall.
"...who would he save from dying?"
Hidan chuckled. "Fuck, that's twisted!" He released Neji's hair and threw his head back to laugh louder. "That's so fucked up, Madara!"
Reluctantly, Neji had to agree with the maniac. It was utterly fucked up.
. . . . .
After the dinner from hell, Madara instructed them to sit in the parlor for tea while he had a word with Hidan. Although Neji didn't touch any of his food, he would admit that it looked really good. Now they were being served tea and cake in the parlor as though they were actual guests instead of hostages. Similar to his dinner, his plate and glass remained untouched. A part of him was relieved that Sasuke hadn't touched his food either. Eating at a time like this just didn't seem right.
Currently, the younger Uchiha was sitting at the bar with his back facing him. Neji had been in the boy's presence for all of forty five minutes and he just knew that there was a scowl on his face. Undeterred he moved from the other end of the room and took a seat next to him.
This was definitely not how Neji imagined 'meeting the family' would go. "You don't believe any of that crap that Madara was saying. Do you?" He asked.
Sasuke looked at him long and hard for a moment, like he was trying to read his mind. "How well do you know my brother?" His dark eyes narrowed suspiciously. "For all that I know you could be working with my uncle. I have no reason to trust you."
Neji exhaled slowly. "I'm not working with that nutcase, Sasuke. And you shouldn't believe anything that he says!"
"I don't." Sasuke quietly admitted. Frankly, he didn't know who to trust anymore. Itachi had been keeping him in the dark and Naruto wasn't exactly who he had claimed to be. Now he was talking to a man that was apparently married to his brother.
"Listen, your brother has spent majority of his life making sure that you were taken care of. Don't repay him by allowing Madara to corrupt you."
"Is it true that you and Itachi are married? I've never even heard him discuss his love life. So it strikes me as a little odd that now all of a sudden he is married."
Sasuke's skepticism was justified. He was aware of that; Neji just didn't know how much he should reveal to the boy. It wasn't his place to divulge any of Itachi's business. Nonetheless, there was at least one thing that he could reveal to Sasuke.
"Itachi and I are married. Not because I'm working with Madara but because I love him." Neji shifted a little in his seat when the boy's eyes widened. "But what's important right now is us getting out of here." Then he thought about the young girl from earlier. "Saki as well."
The door to the parlor opened and Hidan walked in. "Hime, you and I are going to have ourselves a movie night!" Two men followed in behind him.
"I'll pass!" Neji glowered at the extremist. Then he prepared for an attack when the two men approached him, but they bypassed him and grabbed Sasuke. "What's going on?"
Sasuke attempted to break free but one of the men hit the back of his neck with blinding force and rendered him unconscious. After tossing the boy over his shoulder he headed for the door.
Neji attacked the other random assailant with a powerful jab to the face. When the man moved to retaliate Hidan stepped in. "Touch him and I'll kill you." He growled. "Now do as Madara instructed and take baby Uchiha to the warehouse!"
Long after the men were gone, Neji remained on guard. "Where are they taking him and why?"
"Don't worry your pretty little head about it, Hime." Hidan stalked towards him with a barbaric glint in his violet eyes. "You look so fucking good in that tux babe." His right eye was red and bruised from when the Hyuga stabbed him - thankfully he moved in time before it pierced his skin.
When he was close enough, Neji wasted no time in unleashing all of his pent up anger on the man. The same asshole that had killed his friends. The two men exchanged deathly accurate blows in the debonair parlor. Hidan grabbed Neji by the neck after the man busted his nose, and slammed him on top of the mahogany bar. But Neji pulled him down with him, causing them both to fall behind the bar. Blood trickled from Hidan's nose but he smiled through the pain as he straddled the younger man.
"Damn you're really turning me on right now!" Hidan leaned forward and ground his erection against Neji's stomach. "Fuck, I can't wait any longer. Earlier while you were sleeping, you made the sexiest little mewls when I was having my way with you. My restraint is so awesome because I wanted nothing more than to fuck your tight little ass!"
Neji landed several blows on Hidan's face, his chest and stomach before he bucked his hips in an attempt to free himself. Yet the bucking of his hips only served to arouse the man further.
Groaning in pleasure, Hidan roughly flipped him over on his stomach. As he continued to grind against Neji's ass, his hands moved to rip the tuxedo jacket off of the man.
Frantically, Neji kicked and clawed ineffectively at the polished floor. With all of his strength, he was able to twist his body enough to slip out of the man's hold. Sitting up, he kicked Hidan hard in the face. "Get the fuck off me!"
"Bitch!" Hidan grabbed at his legs as Neji tried to run.
But Neji was determined to get away. He scrambled to his feet, and practically rolled on top of the bar. Once his feet hit the floor, he ran out of the room without a backwards glance. Discarding the tuxedo jacket, Neji tossed it up the stairs, but he ran in the direction of the front door. When he hit the corner, he saw two men guarding the door. Silently, he dropped down to the floor and crawled back towards the stairs. The door to the parlor opened, Hidan stepped out with a bloody face, disheveled silver hair and a bare chest. A flash of silver caught Neji's attention and he noticed the knife in the man's hand.
"You feisty little minx! When I get my fucking hands on you!" Hidan screamed belligerently. "I'm going to -"
"Are you okay?" A random guard asked. While Hidan turned his attention to the man, Neji ran up the staircase, picking up the jacket as he passed it. He had intended to use it as a diversion to make Hidan run up the stairs in search of him, while he slipped out of the door.
"Am I okay?" Hidan looked around the area and threw his hands up. "Do I look like I'm fucking okay?! Get the fuck out my face and watch the damn door you -"
Once Neji made it up the stairs, his heart hammered in his chest drowning out the vitriolic rant. Skittishly his pale eyes darted down the hall in search of a place to hide until he could form a plan of escape.
"Neji-sama."
Halting in his steps, his head whipped to the door to his left. He saw Saki motioning him forward. Hurriedly, he ran into the room and she closed the door behind him. Breathing heavily, Neji sunk to the floor.
"What happened?" Saki sat in front of him and looked at the bruises and scratches on his face. It was the closest that she had ever been to Neji; he was far more attractive than she initially presumed. Even with the battered face.
"Hidan is a fucking lunatic." Neji scowled. "We need to find a way to get out of here and get in touch with the local authorities. They've taken Sasuke."
"Neji-sama -"
Neji held up his hand and shook his head. "Drop the honorific please. You can call me Neji." He took a moment to really look at the girl. "Wait, I thought that you ran away to be with your boyfriend or something like that."
"Boyfriend?"
"Yes, it was the talk of the compound for at least a week." Standing up, Neji walked over to the window to check their distance from the ground. "There's a trellis. If it's sturdy enough I can climb down it." He moved to unlock the window. "You're coming with me so change out of those heels. I can't imagine you'll be able to run in those things."
"It's sturdy enough." Saki assured him. She knew because she had just used it to contact Hoheto. Earlier when she contacted the man it was to inform him of their new location, since they moved so frequently. During dinner she left to inform the man that Neji was there as well. "Neji there is something that I need to tell you."
"I'm listening."
There was a loud bang on the door and the teens shared a look. Saki grabbed Neji by the arm and pulled him near the closet. "Don't come out no matter what." She told him.
"Open the door!" Hidan continued to bang on the door until Saki answered it. "Where the fuck is he? I know you fuckers like to stick together!" He pushed past her and stepped into the room. "Hime if you don't want me to hurt this little friend of yours you better stop fucking around!" After looking under the bed, Hidan made his way over to the closet, he was about to turn the knob when he felt the hairs on the back of his neck raise. Turning around he caught the senbon that was aimed for his head. "Sneaky little bitch!" He threw the needle back but Saki easily dodged it.
Twirling the knife in his right hand, Hidan smiled ferally at the young girl. "Do you know who you're fucking with?" He asked as he slowly walked towards her.
"Do you?"
Hidan turned around just in time to see Neji rushing him.
Madara was enjoying a nice cup of tea while he listened to Mozart in his study when he heard a loud crash coming from Saki's bedroom. Despite his ruler-of-the-world persona, he did adhere to the basic rules of common decency. The hour was late, and majority of the occupants in the mansion should be resting, not causing such a ruckus.
He placed his tea cup on the porcelain saucer, wiped the corners of his mouth with his handkerchief then stepped out of his study. Several loud crashes could be heard as he drew closer to the girl's room.
"You little cunt!"
Madara frowned at Hidan's vulgar language. Sighing, he opened the door to reveal Hidan engaged in a heated battle with Neji and Saki. When the man dodged one blow he was soon attacked with another. The two teens were so synchronized that it was if they had trained together since they were children, but Madara knew that it was simply their family's technique.
Hidan finally got the upper hand by kneeing Neji in his stomach; simultaneously he grabbed a handful of Saki's hair. When Neji fell to his knees, he pressed the knife to the girl's throat. "I must admit that you two brats are pretty fucking hardcore!" He laughed as his grip tightened on the girl's hair. "But playtime is over."
"Release her." Madara instructed. He needed her alive in order for her to unwittingly continue to lure Hiashi to Kusagakure. With Hiashi and his elite guard on their way to him, who would be watching the compound?
"I'm not interested in her anyway." Shrugging, Hidan released his hold on Saki. Then he reached down and grabbed Neji, who of course struggled. "Make another wrong move and you'll never walk again." He pressed the knife against Neji's spine, piercing his body; any more pressure he could sever Neji's spinal cord.
"Hidan, remember the plan." Madara walked over to Saki and extended his hand to her. Hesitantly, she took it. "You are not to harm him until you've reached the warehouse." His tone was clipped and terse. It was as if he were surrounded by imbeciles. "Sasuke is almost at the desired location. It is time for you to take Neji to the address that I gave you."
Rolling his eyes in annoyance, Hidan placed the knife in his pocket. "Sorry love but you need to sleep for now."
His voice was almost soothing and it made Neji want to gag, but before he could protest his vision darkened and he fell limply against the man.
The world was etched in charcoal, and Neji could feel his heart rate elevating as his eyes frantically searched for even the faintest hint of light. And then Itachi was in front him, his body blocking out the view of eternal darkness. He was so close; Neji couldn't see anything besides him. Itachi was kissing him, like he was just as in the moment as he was. As if he wanted Neji to remember this moment with him.
For some unknown reason, tears slid down Neji's cheeks and Itachi's face dipped in, kissing them away. He twined his arms around his neck, relaxing every part of him, letting Itachi take his weight and keep him safe. Itachi held Neji flush against his chest, and he felt the world shimmer, as Itachi took them somewhere else.
Neji opened his eyes to see that they were now in Itachi's bedroom. There was a sharp pain, like a knife piercing his skin, but it was faint- not enough to pull him from the moment that he so desperately needed. He breathed a sigh of relief as he felt the man press up against him from behind.
"You're so beautiful, Sunshine."
Frowning, Neji tried to turn around to face the man but he couldn't. "Sunshine? Since when did you call me that?" There was another sharp pain and it caused him to hiss in pain. When his eyes focused again, he caught a flash of something. The room was no longer immaculate but gray and mottled. Neji blinked, and the image disappeared.
Suddenly, Itachi had him pressed hard against the wall. "I think it's time for me to teach you a lesson, Sunshine!" He pushed his knee in between Neji's thighs and spread his legs apart.
"Stop calling me that, Itachi!" Neji tried to struggle yet he couldn't move. This wasn't his Itachi - the smell, the voice, and the way that his hands felt on his skin - were all just wrong.
Neji cried out as the pain intensified. It was enough to pull him back into reality.
An invisible hand clasped over Neji's mouth; an equally hypodermic of adrenaline pierced his heart, unloading in an instant. Neji felt his ribs heaving as if they were bound by ropes, straining to inflate his lungs. His head was a carousel of fears spinning out of control, each one pushing his mind into blackness. Sounds that were near felt far away, as if he was no longer in the body that was lying paralyzed on the cold floor.
"I told you not to say his fucking name again."
The sound of the man's voice drew his attention to Hidan, who was looming over him. Blood dripped from his knife, and there was a triumphant look in his violet eyes. Neji could only move his head, so he lifted it to check his body for any damage. What he saw made his eyes instantly water. In the middle of his stomach above his belly button was the exact same mark that was tattooed on Hidan's forearms. It was carved into his skin, marking him - branding him forever.
"I can't wait to wipe every trace of that Uchiha prick from your system." Hidan was pacing the floor, knife still in his hand as he spoke. "You were mine way before he hit the scene. How fucking dare he!" He raked his hands through his silver hair; ruffling it in the process.
In the distance, Neji could hear strange noises. Skin slapping on skin, groans - in fact he'd heard similar sounds in a couple of adult films that he'd watched. Had Hidan been watching porn in the other room? Then by some stroke of chance, his ears picked up on one word that caused him to strain his ears in curiosity.
"...Sunshine."
"Don't worry," Hidan kneeled down next to him. "You'll see what's behind door number 2 soon enough." He chuckled as he lowered his face to kiss the man on his lips.
Once the lips brushed against his own, Neji opened his mouth and bit down as hard as he could. He could taste blood in his mouth and it was a minor inconvenience, the only thing that mattered in that moment was sending a clear message to Hidan.
"Shit!" Hidan punched Neji on the top of the head. Once the man released his bleeding lip, he straddled him. "Tonight, I was going to go easy on you before we kicked things off! But you just insist on pissing me off!" He angrily growled as he stood up.
When he walked off, Neji tried to wiggle his fingers, and was relieved when they responded. Taking a deep breath, he attempted to sit up. Whatever Hidan gave him was gradually wearing off, yet he couldn't move his entire body. But he refused to just sit around, waiting to be saved, like some damsel in distress.
Fuck that. Neji planned on saving himself.
Rolling over to his stomach, Neji was finally able to get a better view of the other part of the room. That was when he noticed the door that was partially cracked, a flickering light filtered through the opening. Salacious sounds of pleasure and pain subconsciously beckoned him closer. He couldn't quite explain the feeling; it was like a siren's call. Though at the same time, trepidation gripped him; his instincts were going haywire, warning him to stay far away from that room.
In the end, Neji trusted his instincts. He pulled his gaze from the door and looked around the room. The walls were concrete, there were no windows and a single mattress sat in the far corner. Other than that, the room was empty. Dreadfully dull and empty - it was a cliché, "hostage" holding room.
The unraveling of duct tape announced Hidan's arrival back into the room. Neji rolled on his back in time to see the man approaching him. "I think it's time for us to break the news to the Ice Princess."
"Is that why I'm here? So you can get to Itachi?" Neji's throat was dry and sore causing his voice to sound hoarse, but it was irrelevant. "If so I think it was a bad move on your behalf!" He tried to scoot away when Hidan closed in on him, but his hands were grabbed.
After binding Neji's wrists with the tape, Hidan pushed him on his back. "No, the only bad move was him putting his hands on what belonged to me!" Slowly, he traced the mark that he carved on the toned stomach. "I can't wait to be inside of you. Rightfully claiming you as mine. The ritual has to be done perfectly so I need you to stop teasing me babe. I can't fuck you just yet, so behave. I almost fucking lost it earlier!"
Why did everyone want to mark and claim him? Neji was righteously pissed off by everyone viewing him as property. He was a human being damnit; not an inanimate object to be used as anyone pleased.
"First, I need to work on crumbling that spirit of yours," Hidan continued. "You're more of a handful than I expected!"
"There is nothing that you could do that would break me!" Neji stared defiance at the madman. If he gave in too easily to whatever the man had up his sleeves, it would be a betrayal to his friends, and Itachi. But most importantly himself; he needed to stay strong. No matter what.
"You watched your friends die right before your eyes. Normally someone would still be shocked over what you saw." Hidan almost sounded impressed. "Instead, you've been the exact opposite. It was almost as if you didn't care!"
"You don't know shit!"
"Did you even care about them? Or were you just happy that it wasn't you?"
Neji didn't bother responding to the tactless psychopath. Of course he was upset over his friends' deaths. How could he not? They were both very dear to him. But mourning them at a time like this would only weaken him and Neji couldn't allow that.
Honestly, Neji was terrified. The man's intentions were clear; he wanted to claim him - rape him. The very thought made his palms sweat, and his throat tighten. Which was why he needed to numb every single crippling emotion until he was able to escape. Once he was safe, everything that had transpired would more than likely drown him in sorrow, but he couldn't dwell on it now.
"Your father didn't think that he would break either."
"My father?"
Smiling Hidan grabbed Neji's ankles and began to drag him across the floor. "I think it's time to start our movie night, Hime!"
"Here."
Itachi lifted his head from the table to see the steaming cup of coffee being extended to him. Gratefully, he accepted it. "Thank you, Konan." Glancing around the room, he could see Deidara tapping away on his keyboard, Sasori reading over blueprints and Kisame talking on the phone.
Upstairs Kakashi was conducting his own research. They had been up all night looking for any possible leads. Itachi noticed that the sun was beginning to rise, signaling a new day. Another day had passed since Neji had been abducted and it was officially a week since Sasuke was taken as well.
Sighing, Itachi sat the cup on the table. He was far too anxious to even take a sip of the coffee. How could he allow this happen?
"Itachi I think you need to see this!" Deidara jumped up from his seat on the floor. His golden locks were free of the usual top knot so his hair flowed freely, giving him a more effeminate look. He grabbed his laptop and walked over to the plasma TV. After hooking up the required cords, he connected his laptop to the TV.
Itachi and Konan made their way to the den area and Kakashi came down the stairs. Now they were all gathered in the room. Only Deidara was seated on the floor, while everyone else was standing up, staring at the blue screen.
"What exactly are we looking at?" Kisame asked.
The blue screen morphed into grey static as an image gradually came into view. "Hello Itachi." Madara was on the screen, sitting on a leather sofa with a young girl seated on the floor next to his foot. Her head was down, but Konan noticed the blood on her clothes. Before she could try to determine if the girl was still breathing, Madara was speaking again.
"At this moment your precious little brother is being held at a warehouse in Kusagakure."
The images on the screen changed; they were no longer looking at Madara but now Sasuke. He was tied to a chair, his face bloody and bruised as his dark eyes stared into the camera. Sasuke was still obstinate, even though he looked as if he were ten seconds from passing out. Then the video went back to Madara who was smiling like a Cheshire cat now.
"I'll gladly give you the address. However, I think you would also like to know that in my possession is the whereabouts of your lover as well."
This time the video switched to an empty room with a single chair and a television. A minute later the door burst open and Itachi could see Hidan dragging someone by the legs. Forcefully, the extremist threw a shirtless Neji into the chair. With great satisfaction, Itachi watched Neji head butted Hidan causing the man to stumble.
"Serves him right." Kisame snorted.
Neji tried to stand up but his legs gave out; he was more than likely recovering from a paralytic drug. The knowledge did nothing to put Itachi at ease - not in the slightest. After a few more minutes of struggle, Neji was finally seated in the chair. They all watched Hidan tape the man's arms and legs to the wooden chair.
Itachi had already thought of twenty different ways to murder his uncle and the Jashin obsessed sociopath.
In the video, Hidan walked over to the small television. They couldn't see what was on the screen, but once the man stepped away they could see Neji's facial expressions clearly.
Confusion was the first emotion that flashed across Neji's face. His fine brows knitted together and he shot a look in Hidan's direction before his eyes darted back to the screen. Slowly, very slowly, all of the blood seemed to drain from Neji's face, leaving it a sickly grey tone. Panic-stricken, Neji shifted in his seat. He turned his head to the side and clenched his eyes tight.
Itachi felt sick to his stomach as he watched his husband cower in fear. His blood boiled when Hidan placed his hands on either side of Neji's face and forced him to face the screen. He was near vibrating in anger at the sight of Hidan licking the tears as they streamed down Neji's face.
Abruptly, he walked over to the television, prepared to break it, but the video went back to Madara.
"I've just sent the coordinates for both of their locations. Unfortunately, you can only save one. I will have people watching you. Try to send anyone else to the locations and they'll be murdered before you can open the door. Consequently, the person that you chose not to save will also die. So in the end you will have nothing."
"He's bluffing!" Kisame yelled.
"Madara doesn't bluff." Sasori reminded him - reminded them all. He'd been prepared to go retrieve Sasuke while Itachi went to get Neji or vice versa but he knew that it wouldn't be that easy.
"You have 12 hours to make a decision or I'll have them both killed! Who do you love the most? Choose wisely, Itachi."
"Here are their coordinates," Sasori held up two sheets of paper. "Neji is on the left. Sasuke is on the right. Who are you going to save, Itachi?"
Itachi stared blankly at the two sheets of paper. Who do I love the most? The question was the only coherent thought in his mind. Should he go after his brother; the only family that he had left? Or his lover - his husband and the only man that he had ever loved?
Who do I love the most?
TBC
Author's Note: There are three more chapters left!