Target
Ch. 8-The dark side
A/N: Written while on a small plane, right next to the bathrooms. On a second plane, where my little TV didn't work. In my grandma's house, where religious statues stare at me from every angle and people watch what I do all the time. Good thing they can't read English XD Did you guys miss me?! :D I'm back, bitches!
Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto and TV Tokyo.
xXx Beta'd by the classy: Jhalamae xXx
After arriving back the cabin, Naruto did everything he could to avoid seeing or being near Sasuke. Whenever the raven was up and about, Naruto stayed in his room. If Sasuke was in the kitchen and he was hungry, he'd wait until Sasuke went into another room before going in quickly and rustling up something to eat before retreating in his room. He pointedly ignored the taller man when Sasuke would make a crude comment when they would unfortunately come face to face.
Sasuke wasn't dumb. It was blatantly obvious the other man was dodging him. He knew he had probably scarred the blond, but he couldn't find it in him to care. This is who he was and Uzumaki had better get used to it quickly. He preferred the smaller man afraid of him, rather than friendly.
Alone in his room, Naruto leaned out the window, his mind elsewhere. He remembered Sasuke's warning about making a run for it and dismissed any thoughts of bailing. It was too risky and he didn't even know where they were. Sighing he leaned into his hand. His head shot up as he spied a figure leaving the cabin, recognizing it as the raven. Briefly wondering where the man was going, he pushed himself away from the window and plopped down on his bed, bored out of his mind. At least he could wander through the rest of the cabin now without having to meet up with the raven.
Getting up, he walked out of his room and down the stairs, his steps slow and almost hesitant. The emptiness of the cabin met him, bothering him with the stillness. Taking the room in, he narrowed his eyes as he contemplated his situation. Sasuke was gone and he was alone in the nice homey cabin. The tranquility and the general security of the house contrasted how he felt: unaided and vulnerable. I wonder if the old man knows I'm gone? If he does, he's probably writing it off as me getting my dick wet. An uneasiness overtook him. Would they go after him? Would the Akatsuki hurt his grandfather to reach him? Naruto sickeningly realized that they had no reason not to. Sasuke had said they would do whatever; torturing an old man would be nothing to them.
Besides Jiraiya, he only had Kiba, who was a close to a brother as Naruto could claim. But last he heard of him, the brunette was being taken into custody by the cops. They both probably thought he was a criminal and would be disappointed in him, anyways. He didn't have a way of contacting them; Jiraiya never kept a phone and Kiba…
"Even if I knew where he was or had his number, there's no way I could call him!" Naruto yelled in frustration, raking his hands through his golden hair. Being unable to do anything for himself was driving him up the wall. "Fucking Sasuke would kill…Sasuke...isn't here." His voice tampered off, as his eyes widened.
Realizing that he was a liberty to do as he wished, Naruto sprinted back up the stairs and grabbed his cellphone off the night stand. Jamming in the familiar numbers, he put it to his ear, praying the brunette would answer.
"Hello?" Kiba answered, his voice suspicious.
"Kiba!" Naruto cried, elated the man had picked up.
"Naruto! Fuck man, where the hell are you!? What the fuck happened? Why-" Kiba's voice got louder and louder. Naruto grinned and bared it.
"Aw man, I'm up shit creek without a paddle. Heard you got detained, sorry about that."
"Yea they had me locked up for a few hours while I was grilled by these fucking psycho cops. But seriously, what the fuck happened? I keep hearing all over the news that you murdered some dudes while I was passed out and then bailed. Then the cops kept trying to get me to say that you did it."
"Uh, yea, no. I didn't kill them…" Naruto trailed off.
"…But you know who did?" Kiba prodded, sitting up on his bed, suspicious. Tsunade had given him a few days off to calm down after everything that had happened and he had decided to just stay home. People from the news were following him around, pestering and asking for information he didn't know. He leaned forward, fully concentrating on what Naruto told him.
"Are you alone? Like, no one is with you?"
Kiba frowned. "No? Why would there-"
"I have to be careful. Now, it's a long story so sit your ass down and prepare yourself." Naruto cut in dramatically. He skimmed the details as he relayed the story to his friend. "After you passed out, this guy came in and demanded I take this pizza he had. Turns out he had a gun and tried to kill me, but he was killed by Sasuke. Then these other-"
"Wait, who's Sasuke?" Kiba cut in.
"He's the one that killed all those guys. He came into my apartment after murdering them, telling me that I need to go with him. I did, and it turns out he's a hitman. He had been hired to take me out, but changed his mind when it turned out that other people tried to kill me. He knows them and is hunting them down."
"But why you? What did you do?"
"See, that's what none of us know. They want to kill me, so I hired Sasuke to protect me while he looks for them. They kept asking for a key. I don't know what key they wanted, but it was important enough to want to kill me for it."
"A key? What for?"
"No one knows. They almost shot my dick off for it though." Naruto cringed at the memory, tightening his legs.
Kiba was silent for a moment. "An actual hitman? Like in the movies?"
"…yea."
"So you saw him kill those guys? Do you trust him?"
Naruto sighed heavily. "Yea, I saw him kill them. He's the real deal." A frown marred his face as he thought back to the couple and how Sasuke threatened him. "I …can't say I trust him completely, but I'm still alive thanks to him." Not if you keep pissing him off, the little voice in his head piped up.
"So what are you going to do? I mean, the cops are everywhere looking for you, your face is plastered on every TV screen and magazine and the world thinks you're a murderer. What happens if Sasuke can't find the guys who are trying to kill you?"
The blond was silent for a long moment, thinking. It hadn't occurred to him that Sasuke wouldn't be able to find the Akatsuki. The raven made it seem like he always got what he wanted and acted so professional, so the thought of him failing didn't fit with his character. "I dunno. Guess I'll have to change my name and start somewhere new." He joked, a sinking feeling in his gut. "But he's legit, I'm sure he'll find them. Its seems like he as a personal vendetta against them. He'll prove that they are the killers and I'll be pardoned or something." Naruto recoiled at how naïve he sounded. He was mostly trying to convince himself.
Would Sasuke even try to help him out, to clear his name? Naruto recalled that he'd heard Sasuke had been hunting the Akatsuki for a long time...so what guarantees did he have that the raven would be successful? How long had he been trying? How did he find them? …Could he even find them? Was it a fluke that Sasuke saved him?
"Well shit." Kiba blew out a gust of breath, at a loss for words. As crazy as it sounded, he believed Naruto. The man was honest to a fault.
Hearing the door of the cabin opening, Naruto froze. He remembered Sasuke warning him that the phone was only to be used for talking to him if they get separated. "Oh shit, he's back. I gotta go, but as soon as I can, I'll talk to you again." He hurried out, ending the call before Kiba could respond.
"Naruto, wait!" Kiba yelled out, but he was met with the sound of the call being cut. "Fuck." He tossed his phone to the side. He wanted to call back, but the number Naruto called from was private. "He's back." Kiba repeated, noting the panicked way in which Naruto cut the call. What Naruto afraid of Sasuke? He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs and letting his hands dangle between his legs. Did the people that wanted to kill his best friend trash his house too? What did they want?
Irritated at not being able to help, Kiba decided go out for a jog and risk the news crews. He needed to clear his mind and work off his frustration. Quickly changing into gym clothes, he left his flat.
xXx
Pressing a key on the keyboard, the man stopped the recorded call, replaying a portion on the screen. A box with blue jagged lines running across the white grid flashed, the spikes going up and down as a person spoke. "See, I told you bugging his friend's phone would lead us right to him, un!" The man with long blond hair turned to his redheaded companion. He grinned, waiting for the man to praise his intelligence.
"Good job, it seems like it was worth it. Next time he calls, we'll trace it. He won't get away again. " The redhead turned away from the blond and picked up a screw driver, twisting a screw into a crude wooden puppet sitting in front of him. He stopped, taking a moment to wipe away the red dripping down on the face. "Guess we should tell the others."
xXx
Sasuke paused before opening the door to the cabin, his hand hovering right over the door handle. He debated leaving the blond alone and going by himself, but he knew it was risky. As cautious as he had been, it was too hazardous to leave the shorter man to fend for himself, even for a day or two.
On his way back from reporting the successful kills to Kakashi, he tried to think up an appropriate strategy to put his plan into action, with the blond offering no intervention. While he assumed he had scared the man enough, he wasn't fully positive Uzumaki wouldn't pull a stunt like that again. Obsidian eyes narrowed dangerously. His hand tightened into a fist. As much as he needed the man, he wouldn't hesitate to kill him if the need came. He ignored the niggling thought about Uzumaki's innocence and whether or not killing him was the way to go. He didn't owe the man anything and wasn't like he cared for him. He had no reason to feel guilty about his treatment of him and had no inclination to do so. He was closer than he'd ever been and nothing was going to get in his way. Nothing and no one.
Sasuke twisted the handle, opening the door. His dark eyes scanned the room, searching for the blond. Not seeing him, the raven strode up the stairs, making a beeline for the second bedroom. Not bothering to knock, he marched right in and pinned Naruto with a glare, noticing how surprised and suspicious he looked. Had he interrupted something?
"Oi, we're leaving in a bit. Get your shit together and clean up anything you might have messed up." His eyes narrowed when defiant blue eyes stared back at him, the owner silent. "I'm talking to you, Uzumkai." He hissed.
"I heard you." Naruto bit out.
"Answer when I'm speaking to you." Sasuke ordered, his patience wearing thin.
"Or what, you're gonna kill me too?"
Naruto retorted, his mouth working faster than his brain. Unable to take the taunt back, he held a hard look, not backing down. It seems his sense of self-preservation was broken.
"The more I think, the more I wonder why I haven't." Sasuke smirked, his hand going to his pocket where he kept his glock. His smirk widened when he saw Naruto flinch from the movement. "So it might be in your best interest not to provoke me."
Naruto swallowed heavily, watching Sasuke's broad retreating back. That had been too close. He'd almost been caught. He pulled the phone from under his lap where he'd shoved it. But where were they going now? To the Akatsuki? Did Sasuke get some sort of lead from his people?
A few hours later, they left the cabin and trekked back to the car. Once inside, Naruto kept his silence. He kept his gaze forward, not letting himself peep at the raven to see how he reacted. Sasuke was also quiet, but it wasn't long until he spoke up.
"I will explain this once, so you better fucking listen. I have another hit to do and this time, you're staying back. I'm going in and you're to stay in the car." Kakashi had given him another assignment after he had called in to confirm kills. Relaying the information via his ear piece, Kakashi planted a new job in his lap.
"I…I won't do it again." Naruto said softly, looking out the window. He had almost saved a couple of kidnapping rapists. It was better if he just wasn't involved.
"Good."
Naruto partially listened, not wanting to know. He planned to stay away from Sasuke when he did his job and didn't care what happened. He was shamefully turning a deaf though he wasn't the one doing the murdering, he still felt somewhat responsible.
He strapped in and ignored the raven, sitting in prolonged quietness. Sasuke appreciated the fact that he blond didn't talk. It was an improvement. He didn't have to deal with Uzumaki's constant talking and his speeches on what was good and bad. Eager to get the job done with and for more news about the Akatsuki to pop up, Sasuke floored the car, speeding past the trees that surrounded the road and onto the streets leading to the city.
xXx
Right before arriving to the destination, Sasuke felt the need to brief the blond about what was about to happen. It was irrational and he didn't like it. He didn't need another lecture about what he did. Nonetheless, he spoke up when they closed in on the shady street where Kakashi had told him to go to.
"Alright, you're to stay here and keep the car running. If all goes according to plan, I'll be done in less than twenty minutes. No matter what, you keep your ass in this car."
Sasuke maneuvered the car and parked. The buildings on the street were all sort of run down and falling apart. It was obvious that this wasn't exactly a friendly, capital enriched neighborhood. Sasuke had parked in front of a two story apartment building whose shutters on the windows barely hanging on. The door to the building was a spotted gray color with cracks running across it and a once golden mail slot that was covered in rust.
Getting out of the car, Sasuke slammed his door shut and walked to the back of the car, opening up the trunk. Reaching inside, he pulled out several hand guns from hidden slots in the trunk. He pulled the fabric back and tucked the guns into his shoulder holsters, pulling his jacket a bit further to hide them. He frowned as he realized how tense his body was. His internal alarm system was on high alert and he didn't know why. He attributed it to the hit he was about to do. This time, instead of his usual one or two person job, he had around 8. He was ordered to take them all at once if he could and to burn down the building afterwards.
Due to his great memory, Kakashi simply read off the information from the files he'd brought up and cheerfully told the raven where they were located. It seemed someone with a huge amount of money to blow wanted to get rid of the group. Sasuke briefly recalled doing a hit like this before, back when Kakashi used to go out and work beside him. Back when he was still a naïve kid. A dark look crossed his face as he remembered his earlier days in Kakashi's care. His right arm tensed and his hand fisted. Sighing and loosening his fist, he reached over and played with the ring on his left hand. He twisted it around, feeling the inscription on it. He had a habit of messing with it whenever his thoughts were drifting. His thumb pressed into the engraved words and symbol, reading it from memory. The ring was singularly the most important material thing to him. He never took it off and always kept it on his person.
Forcibly snapping himself out of memories, he reached up and brought the trunk door down, giving it a hard push to shut. Not bothering to look back at the car and at Uzumaki, he headed inside, pushing the door shut behind him. Met with a dark hallway with a single dangling lightbulb for light, Sasuke took a deep breath and calmly let it out. Hearing the floorboards creak in the distance he unsnapped the holster of his blade.
xXx
Bored, Naruto tried to immerse himself in his phone. He was tempted to call Kiba but he refrained in the fear that Sasuke might come back and any moment. Fidgeting, he checked the time again. It's only been 15 minutes since Sasuke left. He said 20, so I have five minutes left. He wished the bastard would hurry up. Being stuck in a car in this type of neighborhood didn't sit well with him. He had bad memories of having to walk home through a similar place and getting mugged a few times. It had been a huge relief when he and his grandfather had moved to a much nicer place.
Finishing another level on a small mindless game he had downloaded, he turned his phone off. The battery was almost dead from how much power the game used. Gazing out the window, he noticed how dark it had gotten. He should have been back by now…maybe something happened. I haven't heard any gunshots so he's probably not done. Or he's dead. Naruto frowned, realizing he'd be completely alone if the raven were to die. Grimly, he understood that Sasuke was the only one he could count on at the moment to be there. Having never met his parents, they were absent in his life. His grandfather flitted in and out, both there and never there. He had no stable person to rely on. Now there was Sasuke. The man did try to kill him though and was technically bound to his side by contract, but Naruto felt if he played his cards right, Sasuke would protect him, staying with him until everything blew over.
As fucked up as it was, he needed Sasuke. The raven was basically the only thing standing between him and death.
Brrrriiiiinnnggg! Brrriiinnnggg!
Startled, Naruto was jolted out of his thoughts by the ringing of a phone. He glanced down at it curiously, knowing he had shut it off. He watched his phone, waiting to hear the ringing again. It rang again, but it wasn't his phone. He moved towards it when he heard it once more. He turned to Sasuke seat. He patted the drivers seat and realized it was in the door pocket, buzzing. Unbuckling his belt, he leaned over and reached into the space. His fingers closed in on the sleek device and he pulled it out. Peeking at the screen, his eyebrows rose in surprise. Kakashi's name lit up the screen, vibrating slightly as the phone rang again. It had to be important at this hour, he couldn't let go. He answered it awkwardly.
"...Hello? Kakashi?"
"Sasuke! Don't-…..wait, Naruto? Is that you? Where is Sasuke? Why isn't he answering?"
"Sasuke's inside the apartment. He told me to wait in the car." Naruto filled the man in, wondering again why Sasuke was taking so long. "He's been in there for a while."
"Naruto, listen carefully." Kakashi's voice sent shivers down the blond's spine with the severity of his tone. "Sasuke's in trouble. I received a call from an anonymous person that we worked with before. They ordered and we did it, but someone now wants revenge. This person somehow found out that Sasuke did the hit and they set up a fake hit to get him." A screeching sound was heard, along with a grunt from Kakashi. Car horns honked loudly, accompanied by a string of obscenities from the silver-haired man. "Get Sasuke out of there. Do what you can."
The phone call cut off, leaving Naruto in silence in the cabin of the car. His mind was racing and his heart began to pound. Sasuke was in trouble. He needed to go help him. But how? What could he do? Wouldn't he just get in the way?
"Oh fuck, this just had to happen." Naruto cried out, frustrated. "How the fuck am I supposed to help?!"
He almost laughed at his predicament. Here he now had a chance to get rid of Sasuke and to stop him from killing people. But if he did that, he'd be alone. To avenge those who had been killed by Sasuke, or save his own skin. But if I don't help, wouldn't that make me a murderer? If I let it happen, it would be just same thing as if I had killed him with my own hands…
Gathering up his resolve, Naruto got out of the car. Trying his best to force his emotions to the side, he closed the door and headed for the apartment, a growing feeling of unease in his gut.
Stepping into the building, he nearly gagged at the reek of copper in the air. Squinting in the dim light, he inhaled sharply as his gaze fell on a corpse bleeding out on the floor. From the amount of blood near the head, Naruto assumed it was Sasuke's handiwork and that the raven had slit the man's neck. With the body taking up most of the narrow hallway, Naruto grimaced as he gingerly stepped around it, trying to avoid the copious amounts of ruby liquid on the floor. His foot brushing something hard and metal, Naruto glanced down to see a handgun lying near the man.
Kakashi's words rang in his head. Do what you can. Licking his lips nervously, he reached down and picked up the firearm, tucking his fingers into the groves of the grip and letting his pointer finger rest on the trigger. He thumbed off the safety and held up the gun like he'd seen cops do in action movies. Near his head with this arm bent, and pointing it up. He peeked carefully into the small room of the hallway, finding nothing but corpses, all with the same fatal wound.
Forcing himself to think of anything else but the death surrounding him, he made his way to the rickety stairs going up. Doing his best to keep quiet, he reached the second floor. It was nerve-wracking hearing nobody. The apartment was utterly silent, with only the sound of the light bulb on the wall buzzing.
Naruto nearly screamed in surprise when three consecutive gunshots went off, piercing the silence. Fear jolting him into action, he ran to the room where he heard the shots, throwing the door open.
xXx
Sasuke ducked as the man swung his meaty fist, the hand sailing over his head. Darting forward, he aimed a punch at the man's stomach but it fell weak when the man stepped back quickly. He had already managed to take out two of the guys that had attacked him as soon as he had stepped into the room. All that was left was the biggest one, who also happened to prove the biggest challenge. It didn't help that he had taken hard hits from partners. His ribs ached as did the small of his back where it seemed they targeted it.
Backing up before the man had time to retaliate, Sasuke used his smaller stature to his advantage and moved the man's blind spot, attacking his back. He delivered a swift kick to the man's kidneys, smirking in satisfaction when he heard the man grunt in pain. His smirk disappeared when the man whirled around and grabbed his leg, lifting it up high. Sasuke dropped down, allowing his weight to yank the man forward. As soon as the man was down, Sasuke got up and stomped his foot down on the man's gut, repeating the process on his chest.
The grizzly man began to sputter for breath, his face getting darker. Sasuke went to get his knife, not wanting to use his gun. As he moved away, the man latched onto his leg and yanked the raven down, knocking him to the floor. Sasuke fell hard, his breath leaving him in grunt as his head made contact with the tiled floor. Seeing spots and pain racking his head, he felt thick meaty fingers close around his neck, cutting off his air supply. His hand went up, clutching at the appendages, trying to pry them off. He kicked the man viciously but the grip did not loosen. A small seed of panic grew when the man hovered over him, gravity helping tighten his already brutal grip. His vision began to swim and he felt lightheaded.
Knowing he had precious seconds left, Sasuke sacrificed getting his knife and jammed a hand into his holster as best he could with the man restricting his movements. As soon as he touched the grip, one of the hands loosened around his neck, meeting his hand on the gun. It wasn't enough to let him inhale. Sasuke snarled as he fought the man, his finger depressing the trigger as they struggled, firing three times, hitting the man in the leg once. His hand weakened as his lungs cried for air. As a last attempt for freedom, the raven reached up with the right hand and clamped it on the man's own neck, his grip steadily tightening as his vision darkened.
A single separate gunshot rang out. Sasuke gulped in air as the hands let go of his sore neck. The heavy body fell to the side, moaning. Not waiting for his sight to clear, Sasuke prepared to fight again, unaware of who the new person was. He froze when he heard his name and when his eyes fell on the newcomer.
"S-sasuke? Fuck…..fuck fuck fuck! Oh god, I just killed someone…..holy shit! Fuck!"
"N-Naruto?" Sasuke rasped out incredulously. Blinking heavily, the blond came into sight, pointing the gun in his hand at the thick man who had fallen silent. "What the fuck are you doing here?" He demanded, his voice a little hoarse as he rubbed the tender skin of his throat.
Naruto pulled his gaze from the corpse, turning to look at the disheveled raven. "I-I….I-Kakashi called…"
"I told you to stay in the fucking car!" Sasuke exploded. "Why don't-"
"Hey, I just fucking saved your life!" Naruto yelled back, his anger rising exponentially as he stared down Sasuke, he blue eyes fiery. "I just fucking murdered a guy to help you!" He cried, his voice taking on an edge of hysteria.
"I didn't need your help!" Sasuke hissed out, advancing on the blond who was shaking with anger and panic.
"Sure you didn't, getting choked out and nearly dying, you definitely didn't need my help!" Naruto snapped, feeling sick. His stomach was a whirlwind of emotions, making him dizzy and nauseous. What had he just done?
"Tch. I told you what would happen if you didn't list-"
Sasuke cut off sharply, wincing and doubling over. Naruto started towards him, stopping when he realized he didn't know what was wrong. "Sasuke…?"
Pulling his jacket to the side, Sasuke revealed a deep knife wound cutting across his chest right above his ribs. The blade had cut into his clothes, exposing his flesh and allowing blood to seep out. Sasuke reached up and touched the wound he hadn't realized he had. He cursed profusely when he realized what happened. He wiped the blood on his fingers on his jeans and straightened up despite the pain.
"I was ambushed. One of the must have had a knife on them." He explained, cringing when the wound stung with his movement.
Naruto leaned in, his mouth dropping open when he got a closer look. "Why are your veins purple around it?" He asked, trying to force his thoughts everywhere but on his most recent actions. "That's not normal…" The wound looked nasty and slightly swollen.
Sasuke frowned, his anger forgotten as he recognized what it was. Gritting his teeth as he leaned over to get a better look, he inspected the wound. The thin veins and arteries leading away from the cut were a dark bluish purple color, branching out as they left the slice. The wound itself was a deep red color, with the blood coagulating and clumping. "Fuck. Poison." Shoving his gun into his shoulder holster, Sasuke grunted in pain. "We need to leave now."
"Woah, woah, woah! Poison?! You have to go to a hospital!" Naruto cried.
"No fucking hospitals, don't be stupid." Sasuke gritted his teeth. Lances of pain shot across his body as he forced himself upright and toward the stairs. He almost fell as sharp bouts of agony seized him, stiffening his movement.
"Then you'll die! You need help!" Naruto tried to reason with the man but was ignored. He was forced to watch as Sasuke went down the stairs, clearly struggling to stay conscious. The raven clung to the banister, leaning on it as he descended, stumbling occasionally.
"Get the car started. You're driving." Sasuke hissed out, reaching the bottom floor finally. He latched on to the door frame and clung to it as he summoned the strength to keep going. His legs felt heavy and his movements felt sluggish. Walking awkwardly out the door and to the car, he noted that his chest felt numb. Assuming his extremities would be next, he forced himself to get into the passenger side and slide into the seat quickly. Scowling as Naruto hovered around him, he glared at the blond until he moved to get into the driver seat. It couldn't be helped; he needed the blond to drive. Hating that he needed assistance, but not being stupid enough to deny it, he searched for his phone, patting his pockets with heavy hands as he looked.
"How did Kakashi call you?" He grunted out, not finding the device on his person. He felt tired, wanting to drift off to sleep.
Naruto held out the phone, starting the car. "Here. You left it in here and he called, telling me that it was a setup." He watched the other man carefully, driving out of the sketchy neighborhood quickly. "Sasuke, if you aren't going to a hospital, then what are we going to do? I'm not going to insult you by telling you what you already know, but-"
"Enough. Keep driving." Sasuke ordered stubbornly, his usually cold and emotionless voice now sleepy and lethargic sounding. His breathing was ragged and wet sounding. "Turn right on this street." He opened his phone and found that he had a huge amount of missed calls from Kakashi. He lifted a black brow in disbelief. "Hn."
Naruto did as he was told, taking the short directions from the nearly unconscious man. Nervous, his eyes kept flitting from the road to Sasuke's face, not liking how pallid and sweaty he was. His life was tied with Sasuke's; it was imperative that the man live.
Following Sasuke's vague hand gestures, he parked in front of a two story house with a small metal fence wrapping around the property. It was a short distance from the front door to the opening in the fence. Small potted plants lined the walkway, adding a nice aesthetic touch to the dwelling. The small porch had hanging ferns lining the beams, with a small garden of roses right outside.
"Help me to the door." Sasuke growled, his voice booking no argument as faint as it was. He shoved his door open as best he could and climbed out, almost falling down as his legs refused to cooperate. The numbness he felt earlier had spread, with his arms and legs tingling. Biting back nausea, Sasuke spit out excessive saliva onto the street, not liking how dry his mouth was. While he didn't know what type of poison it was, he knew time was running out.
Naruto quickly got out of the car and sprinted over to Sasuke's side. Keeping silent and scared for the man, he wrapped and arm gently around Sasuke's chest, helping support his weight. His nose inundated with the smell of something spicy that was Sasuke, he felt a little short as the raven slid a heavy arm around his shoulders. He surprised himself by being so eager to help the man that not long ago was threatening to kill him off. It was odd how he brushed off his earlier fear and hatred of the man himself, only to transfer those sentiments to what could kill the man. As disgusted by Sasuke's actions as he was, he fully acknowledged the fact that Sasuke needed to live.
Stumbling to the door with the added weight of another body, Naruto knocked on the door quickly, a rapid staccato sounding out. Seconds ticked by before he heard footsteps reach the door.
"If you're here to sell something, I suggest you leave now before I…" The voice from the phone cut off as the door was yanked open and a tall woman with light brown spikey hair in two buns on the side of her head stepped out brusquely. The woman had on black shorts with a purple T-shirt. She stared at the two intruders in surprise, an elegant brow arching up.
"I never expected to see you again, Sasuke." She cocked one hip out, crossing her arms as she leaned on the door frame. Naruto could hear the sounds of some TV show behind here. A smirk that slid on her face quickly disappeared as she took in Sasuke's appearance and how he clung to the blond person standing next to him. "Oi, what' wrong-"
"He's been poisoned!" Naruto yelled at the woman. It had surprised him that more people knew Sasuke. It had seemed like the raven only talked to a number of people, giving Naruto the idea that he was a lone wolf.
"Poisoned? That's new." The woman replied airily, not moving from her relaxed position.
Naruto stared in shock at the woman. She knew Sasuke, knew he was in danger of dying, and yet she was just standing there, not moving an inch. Did she not care about Sasuke?...What was she to him?
"By all means, let's continue the conversation right here." Sasuke wheezed out, glaring at the woman from between the strands of his hair falling into his face. "Why not bring out some drinks as well, Temari?"
The woman's face hardened minutely as she looked down at the sweaty raven. "Tch. Bring him inside." She ordered Naruto, her tone cold.
Having dealt with Sasuke's shitty attitude for days, Naruto was sick of people ordering him around and hated being in situations where he was an outsider and didn't know what to do. Biting his lower lip, he pulled Sasuke into the house, a sinking feeling in his stomach as the door shut behind him.
xXx
Naruto sat on the bed with navy sheets, fidgeting as waited on news about Sasuke. Uncomfortable, he looked around the plain room, taking in the lonely and cold atmosphere. A small brown bedside table with a short white lamp was to his left, with a tall mahogany dresser right next to a small closet on his right. Diagonal to the dresser was a wide window with dark blue drapes that shielded the room from sunlight, adding to the dark atmosphere.
The woman, Temari, had brought him into this room as soon as some other guys came and whisked Sasuke away. They had identified themselves as Juugo and Suigetsu. Temari had told him that this was Sasuke's room. After peeking into the closet and finding nothing but the raven's typical dark clothing, and nosing into the dresser where thin black gloves and boxers were abundant, Naruto confirmed the dreary room of being Sasuke's.
After an hour of being stuck in the room, Naruto had gotten curious and tried to find hidden areas in the room, looking for the weapons he knew Sasuke had. He knew it wasn't a good idea to mess with Sasuke's belongings, but the boredom was getting to him. Satisfying his curiosity helped keep his mind off the fact that he killed a man and that Sasuke was in a tough spot. Finding none of said weapons, he settled on messing with the raven's gloves, tugging them on. He was surprised to discover that the gloves were very thin, almost like a second skin. But despite being thin, the material was strong and sturdy. It seamlessly molded to his hand, comfortable.
"Why does he even wear these?" Naruto mused aloud, wiggling his fingers around. As far as he could remember, he had never seen the raven without them. Brushing it off as some OCD behavior the man probably had, Naruto took them off and flung them back into the drawer from whence they came.
He checked his phone, tempted to call Kiba again. The slim device was tossed from hand to hand impatiently as he plopped down on the bed. Sighing heavily, he reluctantly thought back to saving Sasuke. He rubbed his mouth as he replayed the scene in his mind, wincing as he came to the point where he shot the man. He had pulled the trigger with the intent of ending the man's life. It had been almost unconscious, the urge and need to save Sasuke controlling his movements. Then the raven had the balls to say he didn't need his help, what the hell? Was the man so cold and so emotionally distant that he didn't even know how to thank someone?
Naruto shook his head. It was probably unhealthy to dwell on it, seeing how people seemed to die like flies around him. He couldn't hold a candle to Sasuke, but it was only normal that he reacted badly. It wasn't like he could just kill a person and be done with it. The fact that he had taken out a human life weighed heavily on him. It was just surprising how he was coping. He didn't feel as guilty as he thought he would. Kakashi had told him to do what he could and he murdered to save Sasuke. His hands now were stained. He held them up, picturing them with blood stains, with the blood of the man he killed. He then imagined what Sasuke's hands would look like. Pale fingers with blood dripping off them in gooey clumps, an endless waterfall of red.
Uneasy, Naruto pushed off the bed, refusing to give his imagination any more fuel. He needed a distraction, something to relieve him off his tendency to overthink.
Temari had told him to stay in the room until she came to get him. It was probably was best to listen to her and to stay, but he couldn't help the need to escape the room and his mind. He slowly opened the door, sticking his head out into the hallway. The second floor had a long corridor that revealed a few more bedrooms and a bathroom at the end. To his right were the stairs, leading down to the foyer and the front door. From what he could recall after being relieved of Sasuke and shoved upstairs, the living room and the kitchen were behind the stairs, towards the back of the house.
Seeing the hallway empty, and the excuse of finding the bathroom ready, Naruto crept out, making sure to muffle his footsteps on the hardwood floor. He expected to hear creaks and groans as he snuck down the stairs, but thankfully heard none.
Reaching the bottom steps, he listened carefully for any sounds of the house's inhabitants. Muted voices were coming from the living room, from behind a closed door. He surmised that Sasuke was in there with them. Curiosity getting the better of him, he moved closer, straining his hears to hear what they were saying. There were three voices discussing Sasuke.
"-bad is it then?"
"Not too bad. It seems to only have affected arms and legs, rending him immobile for now. The poison has coagulating affects, thickening the blood enough to stop the flow, causing blood clots. I had to cut off a bit of the infected flesh, since the venom was eating it away. It hasn't advanced past the stage of numbing his extremities." The sound of shuffling feet and the clinking of metal items cut in. "He'll be fine since we administered the correct anti-venom just in time but…"
"But what?"
"The poison was from Sicarius Hahni, the six-eyed sand spider." The voice paused. "Usually found in South America and Africa, not anywhere near here."
"So? Someone has some exotic venom, not such a big deal."
"It also had a percentage of Hemlock. It affected his breathing, but I countered it with the nebulizer. I've never seen anything like it before. If I had taken any longer, Sasuke'd be dead."
"How'd he get poisoned anyway? It's not like him to even get a scratch on him."
"It was a knife wound across his chest. Idiot let himself get knifed."
"Who was the kid with him?"
A snort. "Isn't watching TV all you do? He's the one that's being accused of supposedly murdering all those guys in his apartment. But now that I think about it, that was definitely Sasuke's handiwork."
"That doesn't explain Sasuke's injury."
"Junior Boyscout can fill us in later since he's the one that brought Sasuke here."
"What was his name?"
"Naruto. Naruto Uzumaki. I keep hearing it everywhere. It's amusing how people think they're so important that they'd be in danger. All I hear is how scared they are and shit."
"What else did they say about him? I'm still trying to figure out why Sasuke's with him."
"A contract? That's how Sasuke works. I can't see Sasuke having a partner anyways."
"Nonono, I know why Sasuke's with him." This voice came out heavy, the atmosphere darkening as he spoke. Naruto moved as close as he dared, desperately trying not to make a sound as he strained to eavesdrop.
"Well? Why?"
"Judging by how much the media lies and what you can trust, I don't know if it's true or not, but they're saying that he's with Akatsuki."
"…"
"Him? He's with the Akatsuki?... If it's true, no wonder Sasuke has him tagging along."
A heavy sigh.
Naruto frowned. Just what was it that the Akatsuki had or did that Sasuke was so intent on taking them out? It was blatantly clear that the only think keeping Sasuke at his side was the money he was promised and the fact that the Akatsuki were hunting him down, making him a sort of bait for the raven.
"Of course he'd take up the chance of kidnapping a member. This is Sasuke we're talking about."
"I wouldn't say he's kidnapped. He willingly stayed up stairs when I told him too. He didn't have a scratch on him either."
"So he's the bait then?"
"It seems like it."
"I don't like it. I didn't even know Sasuke was still going after them. I thought he had put the past behind him."
"Can you blame him? I'd want revenge for my family too. If what had happened to him was done to me, I'd hunt the fuckers down myself, making sure I'm the last thing they see on God's green earth."
Naruto thought back to what he had seen of Sasuke's attitude so far. What could have possibly happened to him that caused him to turn into the man he was? What was so devastating that it would grant a man the ability to murder without a care?
"…How long's it been, Sui?"
"I don't know, he's never told me. I'm not even sure about the details. Only Kakashi and Iruka know."
"I don't know either, unsurprisingly. But I was around to see the aftermath." The tinkering of ice in a glass was heard.
"After what happened with Itachi, I'd be scarred for life too. Poor bastard. He lost everyone all at once. All these years later he still can't stand to hear about his brother. I guess he really looked up to him."
"Having your entire family murdered is enough to traumatize anyone. I'm surprised he didn't go insane. Having Kakashi and Iruka around to help him was great, but I'm more worried that he won't stop going after them."
"Closure? Getting rid of Akatsuki members might be therapeutic on some level. Only Sasuke would be the one to get better by murdering others."
"When did you first met him, Temari?"
"Way back, after the surgery. Kakashi had just brought him back and I was assigned his partner for the time being."
"Ha, I was supposed to be his partner, but he refused and demanded he be by himself, even when he wasn't at one hundred percent."
"I just met him when he stayed here for a while."
"Oh yea, Juugo. You were pretty new when Sasuke crashed here. Kakashi basically locked him here, forcing him to stop going after the Akatsuki so recklessly. After that, it seemed like he'd stopped, but I guess not since he's baiting them now."
"He's getting in over his head again. If he's not careful, what happened to his family might happen to him."
Naruto sat back, his legs aching from his crouched position. He absorbed all the information they had revealed, piecing together Sasuke's dark past. He had known the man's past must have been troubling for him to be in such a career, but he had never expected it was as bloody. Having never known his own parents and being a single child for all he knew, he couldn't imagine having them stripped away so cruelly. His heart went out to the raven, understanding him a little better. His mind went back to what the trio had said. Who was Itachi? What happened to him? Was whatever happened to him the reason Sasuke went over to the dark side? What about Sasuke's family? Where did they fit in the picture? Did the Akatsuki really murder them? As his head filled with burning questions, Naruto let out a gust of breath, grunting slightly. Realizing he had been louder than he expected, he froze, listening to the sudden silence on the other side of the door. Contemplating his fate at the hands of Sasuke's friends, he began to inch back, his sense of self-preservation screaming at him to run to the safety of Sasuke's room.
The door flew open, allowing damning light to reveal a retreating Naruto. Worried, he looked up at the three figures looking down on him.
"Well what do we have here?" Temari questioned sarcastically, frowning at the blond. "Snooping, perhaps?" The other two were silent, staring down impassively.
Deciding to own up to his actions, Naruto got to his feet and crossed his arms. "Yes I was." He said stubbornly, not wanting to appear weak to Sasuke's friends. It was enough to have the raven insulting him; he wouldn't take it from people he didn't know, no matter how much more deadly they were than him.
"Why?"
Came a quiet question from Juugo. He inspected the blond closely, watching his reactions.
"I wanted to see if Sasuke was okay." Naruto replied honestly. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I heard voices and got curious..." He trailed off.
"Tch. You wanted to see if he was okay. It's your fault he's in the state he's in right?" Temari accused, a scowl on her face. "It had been so long since he'd gone after the Akatsuki and you just had to get him involved again. It's not healthy to-"
"Temari…" Suigetsu warned. He knew she cared for the raven like a little brother, despite his cold and often cruel behavior towards her. Being as obstinate as Sasuke, she was just as cruel and cold to him back. She was the one that kept Sasuke's room clean and ready in case the mercenary ever wanted to come back to stay. It was their hard attitudes and cool behavior that kept them from seeing each other often.
"I'm going to shower." She announced, brushing past the blond and striding towards the stairs. They watched her ascend the stairs.
The white-haired man turned to Naruto. He tilted his head towards the door behind him. "We need to talk."
Naruto nodded slowly. If he played his cards right, maybe he could learn even more about the raven than what he had overheard.
xXx
A/N: While in Mexico, I did quite a bit of work. So I have posted a new story; it has Zombies, KakaIru, violence, all the good stuff XD Give it a look? If You know the survival game The Last of Us, I think you'll like it :D