Target
Ch. 7- Winterfell
A/N: Any World Cup fans? Netherlands is on a fucking roll. Mexico should have won, though :P
Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto and TV Tokyo.
xXx-Beta'd by the elusive Jhalamae-xXx
Naruto followed Sasuke closely, watching the raven's back as moonlight shone through leaves in the trees and created patterns on his coat. He kept eyeing the suitcase Sasuke was carrying, wondering what was inside. He'd only ever seen those silver types in movies with mafias and drug lords, but he doubted Sasuke was about to go sell blue sky.
The cool wind shook the dry tree leaves, rustling them. The wisps were cool against his skin, reminding him that winter was coming. He could hear the sounds of their footsteps crunching on the ground, the sardonic howl of a wolf, the eerie cooing of an owl. Tugging his coat closer, Naruto almost tripped over some fallen tree branch. Kicking it out of his way, he huffed, annoyed that Sasuke wouldn't talk to him. They had been walking for over 10 minutes and the other man had yet to answer any of his questions or even speak to him. He was being ignored and he didn't like it.
His stomach gurgled, reminding him that he hadn't eaten in a long time. Grimacing, he patted his abdomen, hoping to quell his hunger pangs. It would be great if they had ramen where we're going. Maybe I can cook some up and try my own recipes…Naruto contemplated. It had now been an entire day since everything had gone batshit crazy and since he had been fired. And now here he was, a fugitive from the law and a group of murderous psychos, with a hired assassin as a bodyguard. Life couldn't get more crazy if it tried. Gazing around, he could see flickers of light far in the distance. He could vaguely see what appeared to be small fires that quickly disappeared.
"Oi, Sasu- Woah!"
Barely avoiding running headfirst into the raven, Naruto quickly took a couple of steps back. Sasuke had stopped walking and was looking around the forest.
"We're here." Sasuke announced.
Naruto turned his head around, searching for 'here'. "And where is here?" He inquired, apparently not seeing what the raven was looking at. The moon had gone into hiding behind some clouds and left everything in a black shroud. Hearing a slightly annoyed sigh, the raven turned around to look at him.
"Wait here."
Sasuke left the blond, walking up a barely discernible path of stone steps. It was hard to see, but he had seen the pictures and knew the layout. Reaching some wooden steps, he held onto the bannister and carefully made his way up to the front porch. Moving a bit further, he touched the door with his outstretched hand. Quickly inserting a key, he opened the door and stepped inside, immediately assaulted with the smell of pine. Wrinkling his nose in distaste, he flicked on the light switches, turning on the ones for the outside.
Blinded by the sudden bright lights, Naruto cringed. "Give a guy a warning next time, would ya?" He grumbled, blinking away the spots in his eyes. Once he was able to see again, he was surprised to see a beautiful two story oak wood cabin surrounded by the dark woods. It had tall balcony windows and a small tidy porch with a couple of chairs for decoration. Up on the second floor was a balcony with iron wrought railing encompassing the small area. Gorgeous potted plants adorned each side of the open doorway, with billowing curtains dancing in the wind. Seeing the raven's silhouette waving at him from the front door, Naruto picked up the pace and jogged to the entrance.
Walking through the door, he was met with a spacious living room with tan plush couches and a large entertainment system gleaming from the wall. Small tables were set artfully around the room, most likely done by an interior designer. The hardwood floor allowed muted thuds as they stepped in further into the cabin, with Naruto wandering over to the rest of the cabin while Sasuke watched him. Sasuke seemed nonchalant, as if he saw this level of luxury often. Naruto was enthralled with his new surroundings, taking in all the expensive glory.
"We're only going to be here for one or two days, depending on how much time it takes. This is one of many safe houses explicitly picked by Kakashi and he had it stocked with food and clothes before we came to avoid signing in at the reservation desk for specific reasons. Any mess you make, you clean it up until it's like you weren't here. This area is patrolled every other day and we've paid him to leave this cabin alone for a while." Sasuke informed, wanting to avoid as many questions as possible. "Since its night again, go ahead and go to sleep if you want." He began to walk away from the living room and into a hallway that lead upstairs.
"Then what are you going to do?" Naruto asked curiously. It sounded like the raven was planning on leaving. He meandered over to the kitchen, his eyes lighting up as he admired the stainless steel appliances and large refrigerator. The entire kitchen was set on a step higher than the rest of the cabin, creating a small ledge where it ended. A row of light brown cabinets ran across the kitchen length along the ceiling, breaking when it reached the large window over the sink, only to continue on the other side. An island stood in the middle of the kitchen, with the stove attached. Bottles of some sort were tucked away in the corners. Opening a cabinet, Naruto saw that dishes were neatly stacked in, all of high caliber. Whistling lowly, the blond went to the refrigerator and pulled the two doors open. He was met with a fully stock fridge, complete with fresh vegetables and even some ice cream. This would be the life, he thought. It was strange how different this was from his own apartment. I could live here and never leave the kitchen. He chuckled, imagining how many dishes he could prepare and make solely with what he fridge had. He ran a hand over the granite counter top, enjoying the contrast of how smooth it felt with how rough it looked.
"I need to set some things up."
Sasuke's voice sounded far away and muffled. Regretfully leaving the kitchen, Naruto followed the noises Sasuke was making, jogging up the stairs. Surprisingly, the upstairs only had two bedrooms, with a bathroom in between. Peeking into one of the rooms, Naruto discovered a large queen size bed with a fluffy comforter. A widescreen TV was mounted on the wall, opposite the bed, with its own stereo system. Walking a bit further in, he opened to closet door to find that it was a walk-in closet already full of clothes. Inspecting the clothes, he saw that they were the same ones as he was wearing, just differing colors. Jeez, you'd think whoever lived here want to wear more than just sweatpants and T-shirts.
Ditching the room, he went to the next one, finding Sasuke in it. The raven was studying the file on his bed, flipping through the papers quickly. He didn't look up as the blond walked in, ignoring him.
Naruto's gaze fell on the silver suitcase, his curiosity peaked. It was bothering him that he didn't know what was inside. He could try asking the raven, but he would probably get no response. But it was worth a shot. The man had actually responded last time.
"Hey Sasuke, what's-"
"None of your business." Sasuke cut in sharply. His gaze rose from the papers and met Naruto's. "Is there something you want?" He asked impatiently, raising a brow.
Miffed at the cold tone and attitude, Naruto simply walked away to the other bedroom. Closing the door behind him, he flopped down on the bed, scooting up so his head rested on a pillow. "I least I get a bed this time." He snorted, remembering the seat he had slept on. It was surprising how little time had passed since then. Closing his eyes, he exhaled deeply, enjoying the coolness of the sheets and the serenity that seemed to envelope him. Minutes ticked by and the blond fell asleep, still tired from the havoc of the last few days.
xXx
Sasuke yawned as he woke up, blinking his eyes rapidly. Shoving his hair out of his eyes, slid out of the bed and stretched, feeling his muscles complain from lack of exercise. Picking up his cellphone off the nightstand, he checked the time. 11:35 am. "Hn." He has slept longer than he intended. Stepping out of his room, he jogged downstairs, sniffing the air suspiciously. It smelled like pancakes.
He spied the blond sitting in the kitchen, on one of the stools around the island. He was digging into a big pile of pancakes, coating the mass with syrup. Sasuke grimaced. He didn't like sweets. He bypassed the blond and grabbed some fruit from the fruit basket near the sink.
Naruto wolfed down his pancakes and took a sip of orange juice to clear his throat. He had gotten up earlier and had wandered the cabin, waiting for the raven to wake up. After a while, he had gotten bored and hungry. As a peace offering and a nice gesture, he decided to make breakfast for the two of them, thinking that the raven might warm up to him if he saw him being useful and not a burden.
"I made pancakes." He said, pushing the plate of flapjacks towards the man, indicating that he was free to enjoy some. He figured it would be a nice gesture, and if all went well, maybe the raven would lighten up and could stop being such an asshole.
"I don't like pancakes."
Well that plan went to shit. "What's wrong with pancakes?" Here he was, trying to make friends with his bodyguard, and the man didn't even make an effort. He sighed as the raven ignored him again and walked in to the living room.
Finishing his breakfast, Naruto set the dirty dishes in the sink and washed them, accustomed to cleaning up after working at the noodle shop for so long. His ears perked up when he heard Sasuke in the living room and heard the tale tell signs of a silver suitcase clicking open. Placing the dished back where he had found them, he dried his hands on the small towel hanging on the stove handle.
He starred at the sink and sighed. What now? He paced the kitchen back and forth, Naruto slowly walked into the living room, taking his glass of orange juice with him. His eyes fell on what Sasuke was pulling out.
It was something long, black and metal, thick enough for his hand to wrap around. Sasuke snapped it out and unfolded it so it grew double its size. It was a black metal bow, one used for hunting. Confused and slightly disappointed at not seeing something more interesting, Naruto cocked his head.
"Are you going hunting?" The raven didn't seem like the type to hunt for food or for sport. This also appeared to be private land, not used for hunting animals.
A smirk slid on Sasuke's face. "You could say that." Reaching back into the case, he pulled out three arrows and a quiver. The sharp black tips gleamed in the light, looking every bit the deadly weapon they were. He tucked the arrows into the holding unit and stood up and tugged the string on the bow, testing it. Turning to Naruto, he mimicked releasing an arrow, drawing it back and relaxing it to avoid damaging the string.
Naruto frowned. "What are you going to be huntin…" He trailed off as he realized Sasuke intended to hunt down the man he was supposed to kill. "But wait, don't you have a gun?" He asked, his eyes wide. Death by arrows seemed a helluva lot more painful than death by a bullet to the head. Did Sasuke enjoy torturing people too?
"A gun shot would be too suspicious here, while a bow and arrow make little noise. And I don't need any unwanted attention drawing anyone here." Sasuke subtly threatened. Grabbing the apple he had been eating, he took another bite and tossed the rest to the blond who caught it on reflex. "This won't take long." Turning his back to the blond, he walked through the door and left.
Looking out of the kitchen window, he watched the black figure disappear into a sea of green. Uneasy, he stepped back and looked around the cabin.
It was weird. Here he was, doing nothing while Sasuke was going to take a man's life. It all felt so surreal. He wondered what that man was doing at the moment, and if he even had the slightest inkling that his life was about to end. Naruto recalled the picture of the man unwillingly.
"Does he have a family? Is he married? Will he be missed? What did he do to deserve it?" Naruto wondered aloud, his morbid sense of curiosity taking over. Would the man be relaxing one moment, dead the next? Would he even see Sasuke coming?...would Sasuke be merciful, or would he draw out the man's life and actually hunt him down like an animal?
Unconsciously, Naruto had begun pacing, worry for the stranger gnawing at him. He wanted to somehow warn the man, to give him a fighting chance, but he knew Sasuke would never allow it, and that he had no idea where Sasuke had disappeared to. Finding himself in the living room, Naruto spied the folder lying innocently on the table where Sasuke had left it. Maybe if he gave it a glance, he could find the man before Sasuke! He could save him! Lord knows what Sasuke would do to him afterwards, but at least a life would be spared.
He made up his mind. Full of drive and audaciousness Naruto grabbed the folder and took it over to the kitchen island. He slid onto the stool and set the manila folder in front of him. He reached over to open it up, but paused, his fingers freezing. He suddenly did not want to see the man's face. His fingers curled into a fist and retracted, moving away from the file. All confidence left him as he continued to look at the file in front of him. He didn't want to know anymore. Feeling cowardly, he looked away, staring at the floor.
"I don't have to know. There's nothing I could do even if I did know."
He tried to reason with himself. But that didn't change the feeling of cowardice that was suffocating him. Getting irate with himself and Sasuke, he shoved himself off the chair and went over to the sink, staring out of the window. He needed some sort of distraction, anything to take his mind off the man and his imminent death.
Running a frustrated hand through his mop of locks, he spied the pancakes he had made for Sasuke going cold. Stalking over to the fridge, he opened up the appliance and raided it, taking out several of the fruits and vegetables. Marauding the cabinets, he found what he was looking for, pulling out several pots and pans, along with some boxes he found. Sasuke hadn't said a word about him cooking anything. Taking it as signal that the raven didn't care, and in an effort to take his mind off of the man, Naruto began to cook up the best ramen he could.
Picking up a bowl, he poured flour into it, mixing in salt. In another bowl, he mixed water and eggs, beating it until it was completely yellow. He poured the mixture into the flour, mixing until it was dough. Dumping the contents onto a counter he wiped down, he brushed his golden hair out of his eyes with the back of his floury hand, avoiding spreading the mess onto his face.
He began to knead, letting he mindless activity take him away from his thoughts and worries. He worked his hands in familiar patterns, already drifting into a relaxed state. After a few minutes, he stopped. Getting a damp cloth, he placed the kneaded ball of dough in it and left it to rest. Washing his hands, he dried them on his pants and pointedly refused to look at the file as he walked out of the kitchen.
Now he had a good hour not to do anything as the dough set. Figuring that watching some TV would take his mind off things, he flopped down on one of the couches and picked up the remote. A small ding rang out as the TV sprang to life.
"No new evidence has surfaced. Uzumaki Naruto has yet to be found and his victims are-"
*click*
"-ties with Akatsuki, as a body has gone missing and two Medical examiners have been taken in for questioning-"
*click*
"-no family, only one friend who has been released but unavailable for interviews. As it continues, all evidence points to Naruto Uzumaki as a previously unknown member of Akatsuki, possibly replacing the murdered-"
*click*
Naruto shut the television off, tossing the remote to the side. No, TV was a bad idea. Restless, he got up and wandered up stairs, bypassing his room and going into Sasuke's. He walked to the balcony and stepped outside, brushing past the billowing curtains. The cool wind picked up, mussing his hair as he leaned on the railing, taking in the environment. Thick tall trees reached up to the sky and blocked out most of the sun, allowing for a few sunbeams to filter through and shine. The waves of green leaves danced and rattled as wisps of wind traveled through.
He closed his eyes and felt the wind, enjoying the chill it brought. He wished he was a bird, able to simply fly away and have no worries about getting a job, or having serial killers after him. Life would have been so much easier if none of this had happened. After a long while of trying to be one with the universe, Naruto's ears perked as he heard something in the distance. It sounded like laughter.
Curious, he opened his eyes and searched for the cause. It sounded feminine, so that ruled out Sasuke, not that he even knew the raven had the ability to laugh. Not seeing anything, he frowned and left the room, jogging downstairs. Giving the dough a check, he left the kitchen and walked out of the cabin. Trekking down the steps, he wandered outside, searching. Hearing more laughter, he followed the sound. This time, it sounded like a couple, a man and a woman.
Nearing a break in the trees, he reached a lake. Stopping at the edge, but still keeping hidden in the trees, he spotted the couple drifting in a boat. The woman was a raven with long hair and a pink shirt with a grey skirt. The man was wearing a green shirt and cargos shorts. He was rowing the boat, leaning close to the woman every once in a while. The woman would laugh and giggle when he did that, twirling the sun umbrella she held. The man began to sing, serenading the girl loudly as she tried to stop him.
Naruto smiled, looking at the sweet and serene scene. He could feel the love radiating from the couple who were wrapped in their own world. They seemed so normal, so strange for him to see them happy and in love when his own world was in chaos. His smile dimmed as he looked at his own life, back when it was still 'normal'. Besides having a few close friends, he didn't have anyone. Sure he had his uncle who popped in once in a while, but he never had anyone who stayed. Kiba was his closest friend and even he had a girlfriend. Naruto had no one but himself.
A strong feeling of loneliness enveloped him as he watched the couple flirt and play around. It was blatantly clear that any chances of love that he would have gotten were dashed the moment he opened to door for a pizza delivery he did not make. Sighing dejectedly, he pulled away, leaving the couple behind. It would do him no good to keep watching them and wallow in his own misery.
Trekking back to the cabin, he realized he had been gone for a while. Quickening his pace, he jogged through the trees, hoping that Sasuke hadn't come back yet. He was still unfamiliar with the raven and did not know how he would act. His bet was on anger. Making it back, he entered and looked around, waiting to see the other man. Upon seeing that Sasuke hadn't returned, Naruto went to check on the ball of dough he had left to rise. It was done.
Eager to continue, Naruto washed his hands and set to kneading the ball of dough and stretching it out. He fully immersed himself in his task, cutting out long strips once the dough was stretched enough and boiling the thin strips. His cheeks were slightly flushed as he moved around the kitchen, adding in ingredients to a bowl and mixing things in another. After a while, he had a perfectly cooked bowl of ramen in front of him. Digging in, he slurped happily, straining to avoid any thoughts that would ruin his appetite.
Hearing the door of the cabin creak open, Naruto whirled around to see Sasuke leisurely walking in. His blue eyes widened as he took in Sasuke's appearance, mainly on the items he carried.
The raven looked exactly how he did when he left with a few differences. His clothes were smudged with dirt, the brown stains becoming thicker near his feet. A smidgen of red was on his cheek, right below his eye. In one hand, he carried the bow he took, and in the other, propped on his shoulder, he held a bloodied shovel. On his back, the three arrows in the quiver were coated with red.
Ignoring the blond, Sasuke calmly walked upstairs, going straight into the bathroom. Once inside, he took out a bottle of bleach from under the sink and began to methodically clean the arrows and the shovel. After he finished, he took the bloodied rag and set it on the counter, stripping. He folded his clothes neatly, placing the rag on top of the pile along with his gloves. Taking a quick shower, he washed away any remnants of what he did, using extra soap to wash his face and hands. He grimaced as he washed his right arm. Turning off the shower head, he stepped out of the shower stall and walked out of the bathroom naked. He casually walked to his room and entered, drying off and getting dressed, slipping on a new pair of snug gloves once he finished.
Going back to the bathroom, he picked up the pile of garments and took them downstairs, where he noticed Uzumaki hadn't moved. Walking into the living room, he tossed the pile into the stone chimney. Picking up the lighter fluid container by the chimney, he squirted a copious amount, drenching the clothes before lighting a match and tossing it in. It caught at once with a big flare and hot wave of heat.
"…So you did it."
Hearing the disbelief and shock in the other man's voice, Sasuke sighed. Uzumaki's naivety was going to get old fast.
"What do you think." Sasuke snorted, turning to look at him. Naruto was standing in the kitchen, with a bowl of ramen in front of him. Sasuke frowned. As far as he knew, Kakashi didn't supply ramen at locations. "Did you make that?" He asked, attempting to divert the conversation. He had just finished dismembering his target and stuffing the bits into a deep grave. It would be hell if the blond found out and began freaking out on him.
Naruto seemed to welcome the change in topic. His voice bounded back to its loud and abrasive nature. "I did." He said proudly. "Would you like a bowl? I wasn't Ichiraku's best chef for nothin'." He gloated, hoping the raven would take his offer.
Sasuke was about to decline when his stomach gurgled loudly, reminding him that breakfast had been only a few bites of an apple. Sasuke capitulated. "Alright." He quirked an eyebrow when Naruto looked at him suspiciously before sliding off the stool to get him a bowl. Was it that strange that he wanted some?
He strode over and slid onto one of the stools, waiting for his bowl. His eyes followed the blond as he moved around the kitchen. His gaze landed on the file on the island, noting that it wasn't in the living room where he had left it. He said he had already read it. Why is it over here then? Rereading? Dismissing the thoughts, Sasuke leaned back. If the blond wanted to find out about his targets, what did he care? It's not like he would do anything.
Naruto grabbed another bowl and poured an abundant amount of noodles into it, making sure to add in a pile of vegetables and meat. His mouth watering from the smell, he presented the bowl to Sasuke. "Miso Ramen. The refrigerator had a lot the vegetables I needed actually, so this is…"
Sasuke looked down and tuned him out, not caring how the food was made. Grabbing the chopsticks Naruto placed next to the bowl, Sasuke struggled to grip them properly. Finding a comfortable hold, he dug into the bowl, scooping up some noodles and bringing the sticks into his mouth. Chewing, he paused, surprised that he liked the taste. He soon finished the bowl, wiping his mouth with a napkin as he pushed the bowl away. He noticed Uzumaki was watching him intently, waiting for his reaction. Smirking, Sasuke stood up and leisurely strode over to the couch, sitting down and propping his feet up. He didn't care that the blond wanted to know if he liked it or not. Food was food. He ate it, didn't he?
Naruto frowned as the raven ignored him. He didn't even say thank you! Irritated by the pale man, Naruto grabbed he bowl and shoved it into the sink, muttering under his breath. Turning around, he leaned his back on the sink, studying the taller manwatching TV.
It was clear Sasuke had done his job. The bloodied shovel and arrows were testament to that. But did his job cover being an undertaker? Did he kill the man and then bury him to hide the body? His eyes narrowed as he scrutinized the raven. He appeared relaxed and almost bored. But looks could be deceiving. For all he knew, the man was dying of well hidden guilt on the inside. Then again, that didn't fit with what he knew of the man. Sasuke radiated an aura of danger and of intelligence. He murdered the other men indifferently, just doing his job. It could be that he was just used to it, or that he was a psycho and didn't care. Uncomfortable, Naruto sighed heavily.
Glancing up, the blond noticed that the raven was gone. Not realizing that he had been lost in his thoughts for such a long time, Naruto wandered out of the kitchen, searching for the other man.
He spotted the taller man coming out of his room with a different jacket on.
"Are you going somewhere?" Naruto inquired, thinking back to the file. There had been two stacks of information inside.
"Obviously." Sasuke replied in a monotone voice. He had the black bow from earlier out, with the arrows clean and ready to be used again. The raven glanced down at his watch. "Don't wait up."
The door shut behind him. "Bye." Naruto called out, feeling the need to fill in the suffocating silence that followed Sasuke's exit. Once again, he left the cabin, leaving Naruto alone. He was leaving to kill another person.
Wanting a third bowl of ramen, Naruto walked back to the kitchen and poured himself another serving. The delicious noodles took him to taste bud heaven, where he didn't have death and murder lurking about. Lost in his noodle haven, he jumped when a strong wind rattled the window and slammed the partially opened panes all the way open. The gust blew into the room, knocking down the file on the island. Papers scattered everywhere, flipping around and making a mess.
"Shit, that just had to happen." Naruto groaned, setting down his bowl. Closing the window, he went over to the pile of papers and crouched down. Not quite sure what order they had been in, he shoved them together, forcing them into a stack. Glancing down, he noticed that the page on top had a picture. Unable to stop himself, he inspected the picture, dropping it when he realized who it was.
It was the couple. He recognized the girl and guy from the boat on the lake. The woman's laughter and joy rang through his head. His heart thudded loudly in his chest, blood rushed in his ears. They were going to die. Sasuke was going to kill them. Paralyzed, he could picture the raven taking them down effortlessly, sliding his knife into their necks like he did with the guy that attacked him at his apartment. He could hear the woman's peals of laughter turning to shrieks of pain and fear.
His eyes widened immensely and he twitched, suddenly able to move again. He had to stop him. He had to stop Sasuke from killing them. They hadn't done anything! They were just a happy couple, young and in love!
Kicking the papers aside, Naruto bolted out of the cabin, running straight into the forest. Pelting through thick bushes and tall trees, he desperately tried to remember where he heard the laughter from. Hearing the soft slap of water against rocks, he ran over to it, finding the spot he was at last time. The lake was calm and peaceful. Nobody was in it, nor were there any boats. Frantic, Naruto took off again, going deeper into the woods.
Straining his ears, he listened for voices. All he heard was the rhythmic crunching of leaves under his feet, and his heavy breathing. He knew Sasuke couldn't have gone far, so the chances of him saving the couple were high. He had no plan. He just had to find them.
"Fuck! Where are they!?" He cried out, frustrated. A sudden scream had him freezing. His heart nearly stopped from the terror in the voice. Breaking from the paralysis that had him still, he bolted towards the scream, his only thought to stop Sasuke.
xXx
Sasuke spied the couple walking hand in hand amongst the trees, wrapped up in some inane conversation. Keeping back at a safe pace, he hid behind the trees, alternating quickly to avoid drawing attention to himself or to fall behind. His dark clothing was like a homing device, standing out from the forest. It would be bad if they saw him. His obsidian eyes followed them, waiting for just the right moment.
The plan was to take care of them man first. Once he was out of commission, the woman would be next, and then body disposal. He fingered the metal of the bow strapped around him. He planned to give them both quick and painless deaths, preferably with a gun, but since he didn't have the luxury of using it out here, he only had two weapons to fall back on. Well, three, if he counted himself. He had lethal accuracy with the bow, and the heavy blade strapped to his belt was insurance. The man he took out earlier had been a bit tricky. With two arrows in his chest, he still tried to run, forcing Sasuke to sink the blade into his heart. It hadn't been very clean, but he disguised the mess to make it seem like a fight had occurred between animals. He dug a grave and hacked the limbs and head off, dispersing them in other holes he'd dug and expertly making the dirt look undisturbed.
He'd do the same for the couple, burying them relatively close together. It wasn't his job to permanently dispose of the bodies. Kakashi had others to do that dirty work. All he needed to do was ensure that the job had been done, and that the body would stay hidden for a while before resurfacing by whatever found it. He usually did such a good job that nature would end up disfiguring the corpse , and later the bones, that his bodies came up as John Doe's and Jane Deer's. Unknown and unidentified bodies.
The couple neared the thicker part of the woods, where the trees were closer together and the foliage even harder to pass through quietly. It was now or never. Sasuke stopped walking and took the bow off, drawing an arrow from his quiver. Stretching the string, he pulled his hand back, aligning the arrow. This time, he aimed for the man's head, not wanting a repeat. The taunt string loosened as he let it go, sending the arrow flying. It streaked through the air and impaled itself into the man's skull neatly, taking him out instantly.
Immediately, the woman began to shriek, watching her lover fall the ground, dead. She screamed his name, stopping herself from dropping down next to her. Horrified, she turned around and saw a man in black clothing with a dangerously emotionless face calmly drawing his last arrow, pulling the thin string back to kill her.
"RUN!"
Sasuke heard the voice before he felt the impact of another body ramming into him. Taken by surprise and hating it, Sasuke grunted as he and the other person tumbled down. The bow and arrow were torn from his hands, kicked away. On guard at once, Sasuke rolled to his feet, skidding on dry leaves. His eyes widened fractionally when he saw who attacked him before they narrowed down into slits of anger.
"Naruto?" He asked, his voice tight with controlled rage. What the fuck did he think he was doing?
Naruto got to his feet, taking a couple of steps back, putting his body between the couple and Sasuke's. He met Sasuke's death stare head on, refusing to give an inch. "You killed him." Naruto accused, glancing down at the body of the man. The woman was weeping beside it, ignoring them. "You murdered him!"
Sasuke had had enough of this. He had a job to do and the blond idiot was getting in the way. He stalked forward, allowing a sliver of his anger on his face and enjoying the spike of fear he saw in the other's face. Naruto seemed to back up a bit, unsure of what to do. Once more taken by surprise, Sasuke watched as the other man whirled around and pushed the woman up.
"Go! Run!"
He yelled desperately before a heavy fist landed on his stomach and punched his liver solidly. Falling and through watery eyes, he watched the woman scream and run away, almost tripping and falling in her haste. Sensing that Sasuke was about to go past him and after her, Naruto latched onto one of Sasuke's legs, knocking him down again. Once the raven hit the forest floor, he slammed his foot down, hitting the meaty part of Sasuke's thigh.
"You son of a bitch!"
He heard Sasuke growl. Startled, he saw the raven fluidly brush off the kick as if it had been nothing and leap to his feet. Not one to be outdone and go out without a fight, Naruto struggled to stand up, realizing that Sasuke's punch had done more damage than he initially thought.
"What the fuck do you think you are doing you little shit?" Sasuke snarled, feeling his body rigid with barely controlled bloodlust. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the woman run away. He didn't really care; he'd catch her easily once he dealt with the rebellious blond. He moved back a few steps, feigning surrender , letting the smaller man think he wouldn't go after the girl.
Naruto nearly froze at the amount of anger Sasuke was directing at him. He had been too late to save the man, but he was going to do what he could to save the woman. The raven's piercing glare was boring into him, making his survival instincts flare up and scream for him to run away. As Sasuke appeared to back off, Naruto relaxed infinitesimally. Maybe the man could be reasoned with.
Moving as fast as a snake, Sasuke struck. He stepped forward quickly and gave the man a nice clean uppercut to the jaw. Naruto's head snapped back and he tumbled down, unconscious. He slumped against a tree, his head rolling loosely on his shoulders. Sasuke kneeled down and grabbed the bow and arrow that were a few feet away. Getting to his feet, he strode forth, going in the path he saw the woman take.
Finding that she hadn't gone far, he pulled back the arrow and let it fly. It pierced through her skull, managing to poke out through one of her eye sockets. Blood trickled out of the wound and ran down her face, staining her shirt. She slumped forward and fell down, dead. Walking over to her, Sasuke indifferently grabbed her by the collar of her shirt and dragged her through the leaves back to where Naruto was. There was now a slight change in plans.
xXx
Coming to, Naruto groaned as his face and head felt as if they were on fire. Reaching a hand up to touch his face, he realized he couldn't lift it very far. Something cool and metal held his wrist snugly. Sluggishly opening his eyes his peeked down at his wrist, surprised to see a cuff wrapped around it. Blinking heavily, he looked at his other hand and saw the same thing. He was chained to something. As everything came into focus, he looked ahead.
Sasuke was in the midst of throwing dirt into a huge hole in the ground. Tearing his gaze away from the man, Naruto froze as he noticed a pair of feet lying close to his. They were a petite size. Horrified, he realized whose they were.
"You killed her." Naruto said softly, noticing the small traces of blood in the woman's hair as he followed her feet to her head.
Sasuke paused, looking up. His eyes narrowed. He's awake. The blond was staring at the body by his feet. His voice wasn't accusing, it was a simple statement. Sasuke's lips curled up in scowl.
"Let me ask you something." He asked, his voice icy. "What the fuck made you think that you could interfere?"
Naruto glared up at the man. "How could you!" He yelled, anger overriding his fear. "How cold hearted and cruel are you to take someone's life so easily?" Tears sprung up in his eyes as he recalled how happy and in love the couple had been. It had been stripped away, stolen. His stomach clenched with the need to vomit.
Sasuke almost rolled his eyes. Great. He just had to get stuck with the dramatic goody two shoes.
"What part of 'this is my job' do you not understand?" Sasuke asked, continuing to dig. He couldn't give a shit less, especially for the two he just did in.
"You're no better. You're just as bad as Akatsuki. You make me sick." Naruto whispered, despair filling him as he realized what kind of person Sasuke was. He barely noticed how Sasuke winced briefly.
"Don't you fucking dare compare me to those sick bastards." Sasuke hissed, throwing down the shovel and stalking over to the blond. He jabbed a finger in Naruto's face. "Don't you-"
"Killing innocent people makes you a monster." Naruto cut in, rising to his feet as best he could while chained to the tree. "They kill the innocent and so do you." He spat, trying to find some way to hurt the raven.
Sasuke took a step back, his mind trying to understand what Naruto said. "Are you fucking stupid? Innocent? You told me you read the file." He accused incredulously, not understanding what the blond was so worked up about. "They were murderers. Kidnappers and rapists." He took in the blond's astonished gaze. "Tell me, sweetheart, what the fucks so innocent about that?"
Naruto felt as if someone had dumped ice on him. He felt numb. "They were what?" He whispered. No, it wasn't possible. It wasn't! They had been so innocent in their love and there was no way that they-
"They targeted families that stayed here. If I had made an actual reservation, they'd have come looking for us." Sasuke explained impatiently, going back to the digging. Getting a bit lazy and knowing Kakashi might find out one day, he dragged the woman into the grave, unceremoniously dumping her in and beginning to throw dirt on her corpse. He understood that the blond had no idea, but he was still pissed at having been interrupted. It was one of the main reasons he worked alone. "As soon as they thought we were asleep, they'd have broken in."
"But that still doesn't justify you killing them! You could have turned them into the police!" Naruto came back, still trying to fight Sasuke's indifference to killing. He was horrified at how Sasuke's treated the woman's corpse.
"Or I could have killed them and solved the problem immediately. Oh wait, I did." Sasuke retorted, his tone condescending. "And now I have a nice paycheck waiting for me at Kakashi's."
"Is that what a life means to you? Just fucking money?!" Naruto shouted, straining against the cuffs around his hands. He wanted to jump up and knock some sense into the raven, most likely with his fists. "People are more than money bags! How can you even-"
Sasuke ignored his shouting, finishing up his digging. Once he was satisfied, he threw the shovel to the side and walked behind the blond. Grabbing the small chain that kept the blond back, he unlocked it and let him go. Anticipating the smaller man to attack him or run away, Sasuke quickly moved behind him and anchored an arm around his chest. With lighting speed, he brought up his other hand and pressed the object in it into the thin skin of Naruto's throat.
Whatever Naruto was about to say froze in his throat as one second he was tied to the tree, and the next he was enveloped by Sasuke's spicy scent and had the other man's hands on him. Gulping, he felt something cold and metal press against his neck threateningly. He shivered as the man spoke.
Sasuke's voice spoke up in his right ear, quiet and dripping with the promise of death.
"If you ever come between a target and I again, I will kill you. Do not mistake me for someone who gives a shit whether you live and die. I might have signed a contract, but who's to say someone got past me and murdered you? You've been nothing but a hindrance. Keep it up, and I'll get rid of you. I don't need you.
Sasuke withdrew his arm, purposefully digging the blade in a little to give the blond a reminder. A thin line of blood popped up where the blade had been. He smirked dangerously as the blond launched himself away in an effort to put space between them. His sensitive nose could almost smell the fear emitting from the other man.
"We'll be staying here for a few more nights before we move again." Sasuke strolled past the pale blond and grabbed the shovel and his bow. He walked away, heading back to the cabin. He paused, twisting around to pin the smaller man with a menacing look. "Oh, and try and run away if you want to. It can't hurt to practice." He gave the bow a slight shake for emphasis. He turned back around and left the blond alone.
"What have I gotten myself into?" Naruto whispered out loud, looking at the raven's retreating back. He pressed a hand to his neck, pulling it back and studying it. A tiny amount of blood stained his hand, cruelly reminding him that Sasuke was not and could not be his friend. He was completely alone.
Curling his hand into a fist, he lowered it and stared at the impromptu burial site. He was at war with himself, struggling to return to his previous mindset. It was clear that Sasuke had no regards as to who he killed, innocent or not. The man did it for the money; it was a simple as that. It was blatantly clear that he was expendable to the man. But he couldn't wrap his head around it. On one level, he understood what Sasuke did, but on another, he condemned the man for it, despite the fact that he had hired the man to do his job, which was to kill.
Naruto considered each life to be a precious gift and to be cherished, not snuffed out for something as dirty as money. He was disgusted by Sasuke, but it was thanks to that man that he was still alive, and hopefully would continue to be.
His eyes roamed over the mounds, hating that fact that he was impressed with how fast Sasuke worked. He pictured the man and woman, now seeing them as Sasuke labeled them. He supposed the raven could have been lying, but why would he lie? He had on reason to and from what Naruto could gather, wouldn't even bother.
Feeling lost and unprepared, he turned to follow the man, trudging slowly as his mind was elsewhere.
A/N: So I'm going on vacation to Mexico and where I'll be going has no internet. I'll be gone for a month or so, but you can bet your ass chapters will be up and ready as soon as I get back. Review before I go?-MTB