Target
Ch. 17- A New Design
A/N: And so the conclusion is that I don't suck yet and that I need to hurry the fuck up and update faster. Gotcha. There's a gore warning on this fic for a reason, so grab some blankets and read on!
Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Don't give him money, don't watch the stupid movie. Save yourself. Go watch the Dragon Ball Z one instead :D
xXx Beta'd by the literate Miasen xXx
"So we may have a snitch."
Kakashi sighed heavily as he rubbed a hand across his mouth, grimacing at the reek of gunpowder permeating his skin. "Possibly." He winced as Iruka patched him up, wrapping bandages around his arms. Lifting them up, Iruka attended to several nicks along his torso, applying ointment and closing them with small butterfly Band-Aids. The brunette's fingers were gentle but firm.
"They knew where to find us," Iruka stated simply.
"Which means they have the advantage. We don't know where they could be coming from, or when to even anticipate another attack. We're on the ropes, and I doubt they'd let up now. It'd be the perfect time to strike again."
Iruka chewed his bottom lip, patting Kakashi's leg to indicate he was done. The taller man scooted off the bed and nudged Iruka to sit down. Complying, the shorter man grimaced as Kakashi grabbed his foot and peeled back his blood-crusted pants to see the nasty scrape on his leg. He had been nicked by a stray bullet. Luckily it missed anything vital and just burrowed through the meaty part of his leg.
"At least Naruto and Sasuke are safe." Iruka heaved a sigh, his voice becoming distorted as he gritted his teeth in pain.
"For now. Who knows what the fuck those bastards have found out." Wiping away blood, Kakashi dabbed the wound with antiseptic, thoroughly cleaning it despite the hisses of pain Iruka bit out.
"Anyone in particular on your mind?"
"Not yet. I'm heading to the office later to get everything straightened out. Kurenai hasn't reported anything out of the ordinary, but I've sent Asuma to stay with her in the meantime."
"I'll have to head out to check up on the missing medical examiners." Iruka picked at the cool sheets that dressed his bed. It had been a long time since he had been back in his own home. It felt surreal that all this had happened. Kakashi's home was ruined, and now they were safely tucked away in a house under a false name, courtesy of Kakashi's insistence.
It almost harkened back to the days when he'd be trailing after the silver-haired man, going on nothing but leads that were destined to be lies and following rumors. He had stayed in many different and sketchy hotels, just hoping to catch a glimpse of the man that had captivated him. It helped that he was ordered to arrest him, so his pursuit had legal standing. It was only after Kakashi cleared his own record that the tables were turned and the taller man pursued him relentlessly.
He hadn't gone to Italy of his own accord, but he didn't regret it. And now they were both hiding from another threat, finally one that wasn't each other. His eyes trailing over the strong and rough hands that neatly dressed his wound, Iruka felt a swell of love in his chest. They were both incredibly lucky, but how far would that luck last?
"The extent to which the Akatsuki are willing to go to get this 'key' Naruto has is astounding." Iruka mused, glancing to the side. "And I'm not so sure that they were the ones that took out the contract on Naruto anymore; what would have been their motive? Why try to kill someone that has something you want? Wouldn't it be easier to get the required item from the person while they're still alive?"
Once finished patching Iruka's leg up, Kakashi flopped onto the bed next to him, his arm reaching out to snag onto the shorter man's shirt and tug him closer. "It could have been a fluke. Maybe the idea was to kill Naruto in the beginning, but once they found out he had what they wanted, the plan changed to steal him. Or the contract on Naruto was taken out before they needed him for whatever it is they do."
"Could it have been a warning?"
Kakashi arched a brow, turning to look at the Police Commander. "You lost me."
"No, think about it. What if someone took out the hit on Naruto to protect him, or warn him that the Akatsuki were coming for him? It doesn't make sense that the Akatsuki wanted Naruto killed by a second party, considering they do their own dirty work not matter how vile. Sasuke would have been a warning."
"There was no guarantee Sasuke would have saved him. If anything, it was almost a given Sasuke would have taken Naruto out. Who would be willing to risk that?"
"I don't know." Iruka admitted. "But it's a possibility, one we can't rule out just yet. It's too much of a coincidence that the same day Sasuke went out to kill Naruto, the Akatsuki show up, right on time for Sasuke to save him. It could have been orchestrated to end up like this."
"So you think there's a third party here that wants Naruto alive, or at least is out to fuck with the Akatsuki?"
"They could also be a component to the whole 'key' thing. I doubt even the Akatsuki would know about them."
"Well whoever they are, hopefully they're on our side."
xXx
Naruto quietly puttered around the kitchen, grimacing at the disgusting conditions as he tried his best to clean up for a meal. Rags used to wipe the small table in the kitchen came back black after one use, and sweeping had revealed not one, but three dead mice carcasses among the mountains of deceased insects. Juugo had returned and left the bag of items Naruto requested on the counter before leaving once more for the night. True to his word, he managed to get the water back on, but electricity was a not an option due to the faulty wiring of the old house. Same went for the gas.
Squeaking open the faucet, he washed his hands and set to work on making a few sandwiches. All their meals would have to be something non-refrigerated and easy to make, so Naruto did his best. Having been up for a while, the younger man settled on busying himself to pass the time. Still not hearing a sign that Sasuke had gotten up, Naruto hoped he was making something the raven would like. After all, they still needed to talk and he could use the food as a peace-offering.
Judging by their last conversation, Naruto had learned a bit more about his volatile protector. Sasuke was surprisingly human and had nightmares, something Naruto gleamed were far worse than his own. Sasuke probably also had flashbacks, possibly reliving those nightmares or something just a cruel. Whatever he had experienced, it had caused him to shut down and lash out, mainly at him.
That was probably thanks to the fact Naruto had kept picking at Sasuke, instead of leaving him alone. Now that he knew, or at least vaguely knew, where Sasuke's bad attitude stemmed from, it was time to deal with it. But how would they do that? The one thing Sasuke wanted was to kill Itachi, and thereby avenging his family. So it would seem that killing Itachi would solve their problems. But it wasn't that simple.
In all his time spent with Sasuke, Naruto had only seen pictures of the man. He had already come face-to-face with different Akatsuki members, but never with Sasuke's brother. Clearly the man worked in the shadows; the question, therefore, was how to shine light on the shadow. How to draw him out into the open so Sasuke could gain his peace?
Would Sasuke even be able to beat Itachi? Naruto had no doubt that Sasuke was a formidable opponent, but was it enough to deal with his brother? He had seen what Sasuke could do, but Itachi was a blank. Drawing from how off-center Sasuke seemed, Itachi was no laughing matter.
The sound of the wooden stairs groaning underneath a pair of descending feet snapped him out of his thoughts. Busying himself, Naruto set a perfectly made sandwich on a plate, whipping up another as his focused on the footsteps coming up behind him. With each footfall, a strange nervousness built in his chest, making his movements jerky and sharp. He had no idea how to approach Sasuke. His previous confidence had whittled away, leaving him with a sense of grasping at straws. Grabbing the plate, he turned to Sasuke, his eyes widening fractionally as he took in Sasuke's haggard appearance.
The taller man had dark circles under his eyes, revealing a long sleepless night. Black eyes seemed soulless and empty, set against a paler face. His hair seemed to lack its usual robustness, wilting like a thirsty flower underneath the hot sun. Sasuke had on a loose black hoodie with a long neckline that dipped down and exposed a patch of his chest; he wasn't wearing a shirt underneath. The raven had forgone his gloves, showing off the metal intricacy of his prosthetic arm as he pulled out an old chair to sit in.
Silently, Naruto handed him the plate, his previous thoughts of confronting Sasuke vanishing. He nearly winced at the tiny contact their fingers made. Sasuke's hand was ice cold. Trying to fill the silence, he looked down at the food.
"I didn't know what you wanted, so I just—"
"It's fine." Sasuke interrupted, his voice gravelly and rough. Wordlessly, he bit into the sandwich and ate. His body was slightly tilted towards Naruto, but he was looking elsewhere.
Somewhat happy that Sasuke didn't mind it, Naruto went back to his own. Once he finished, he polished it off in a few bites, thrilled to have something in his stomach. But now that he had eaten, there was nothing to occupy his time. A heavy silence inundated him and Sasuke. It was thick and cloying, testing Naruto's nerves.
Peeking at him through the corner of his eye, Naruto frowned at the strange look in his eyes. The raven was giving off an air of instability and lethality, a dangerous combination that had Naruto questioning Sasuke's mental state. Each bite seemed mechanical, simply done to fill a need. There was no sign of the Sasuke that would often pin him on the mats and roughly rut against him, or the one that would challenge him for the hell of it and spar until they were both exhausted. The tentative relationship that had begun to sprout seemed to have shriveled and died, something that gave Naruto a feeling of deep regret.
As if sensing his discomfort, Sasuke abruptly stood up and dumped the plate in the sink, giving it a cursory rinse before striding into the living room and sitting down in the loveseat. Pulling his sleeves up, Sasuke bunched the fabric under his elbows and leaned forward. He rested his elbows on his knees, twining his fingers together and placing his chin atop. Thin black eyebrows furrowed, emphasizing the dark bags under his eyes.
Almost alarmed at the sudden movement, Naruto watched Sasuke from the kitchen to see what he would do. After a few minutes of watching Sasuke becoming a statue, Naruto went back to cleaning up. He was tempted to ask Sasuke what was on his mind, but he had a pretty good idea what it was. The urge to ask Sasuke about his flashback permeated, but Naruto held his tongue. Even he didn't know exactly what he wanted to ask, much less know. Sasuke didn't look like he was in the mood to talk either.
Since the kitchen was gross place to hang out in, Naruto left, walking past Sasuke to go to the stairs. He worriedly noted that Sasuke hadn't even blinked at him, staring off into space with a creepy blank look. Training his eyes on the raven as he slowly ascended, he could barely tell Sasuke was breathing.
xXx
Nimble fingers cut through the tiny flickering flame as Naruto sighed. Azure eyes disinterestedly watched the fire dance and dart around his fingers, struggling to stay lit. His fingertips turned black, further darkening with each pass. Puckering his lips, he exhaled sharply and blew it out. A white wisp of smoke replaced the flame as the dim light of the afternoon sky seeped into the room, overtaking the once bright light.
He had dozed off, sleeping lightly for a while, blissfully unaware of what happened the day before, but now that he was awake, it all came crashing down on him heavily. There was nothing he could do, and it was killing him. After everything he had done, all of the training and fighting, and it was wasted on the fact that he could do nothing more than wait. But this was different, since he really couldn't do anything. He would jeopardize the others, and make the situation possibly worse. But this was different from what happened to Kiba.
The muffled sound of Sasuke moving about downstairs caught his attention, drawing him out of his reverie. Immediately alert, he jogged down the steps, hoping that the oppressive mood Sasuke had been giving off was gone and that maybe the raven had thought of something.
He noted with surprise that Sasuke had brought out one of the heavy bags they had taken with them and had dumped it onto a sofa. He was rifling through it, occasionally removing the lit cigarette from his mouth to blow out a trail of smoke.
"What are you doing?" Naruto asked hesitantly, frowning when Sasuke ignored him. He slowed to a stop a few feet from Sasuke. "Oi, Sasuke."
"You have eyes. Use them," Sasuke muttered around the cigarette.
Naruto nearly gagged at the overwhelming reek of smoke that attacked his nose. Clearly Sasuke wasn't on his first smoke of the day. The scent of strong alcohol weaved in and out of the tobacco stench, wafting from the tall glass beside the taller man. Most of the liquid was gone.
He was not entirely startled when the raven procured a handgun from the bag, snapping out the clip before inserting a full one. The raven tucked it into his waistband of his jeans, pulling the hoodie down to conceal it. "You're leaving," Naruto stated evenly.
Sasuke tossed the butt of his cigarette carelessly into the overflowing ashtray near him and snatched up a cup off the coffee table, taking a swig. "Nice to know a few neurons are still firing." Placing the cup back, he then reached down the pack of Marlboros resting on the armrest and tapped out another white stick. He placed it between his lips, lit it with the snap of his lighter and watched with dead eyes as Naruto marched towards him. Uncaringly, he stared at Naruto and took a drag, inhaling slowly.
"Then I'm leaving as well," Naruto challenged. He knew full well he and Sasuke were to stay here until further orders. As the taller man had said last night, it would be dangerous to move when the Akatsuki had all but put out an APB on them. So what was Sasuke's excuse? "Where we off to?"
"Don't be stupid."
"I'm not the stupid one here. Now where are we going?"
"Naruto. I don't have time to play games."
"Clearly I'm not playing one."
Sasuke's lips pressed into a hard line. "You're going to stay here, don't fucking argue with me," he ordered tersely, resisting the urge to force Naruto to obey him. The blond would only fight back and make things unnecessarily difficult.
"Why do I have to stay?" Naruto shot back, crossing his arms. "You know that we're not supposed to bring attention to us and yet you're leaving? Pretty hypocritical."
"I'm going to find out what the fuck happened," Sasuke bit out. "You can't come with me."
"Why the hell not?" Naruto growled. "We're supposed to be sticking together, and we can't do that if we aren't together. That contract stated that you aren't to leave me alone."
"Please, enlighten me. If I were to take you out of this house, what good would you serve me?" Sasuke turned the blond, a condescending glare etched onto his features.
Naruto grimaced, his hands curling into fists in frustration.
"So you recognize the fact that you aren't allowed to show your face in public, yet you still want to complain?" Sasuke criticized harshly, ignoring the small urge he had to actually talk to Naruto. The shorter man's words from their last conversation still rung in his head, battling with his own thoughts and fucking with his own sentiments.
"And what about you!?" Naruto yelled, irate at Sasuke's unwarranted attitude. "What the hell do you plan to do? We're not supposed to go out because the Akatsuki are crawling all over the town, looking for us! Are you planning to just waltz around like you're untouchable?!"
"Hn."
"Don't you fucking 'hn' me, you asshole! You're just still in a shit mood since yesterday, and I'm sick of it! I'm trying to be reasonable here, to make some fucking progress, but I can't do that on my own! You have to make a goddamn effort and meet me halfway!"
"You say that as if I cared."
"..." Naruto clenched his teeth together, understanding that screaming at Sasuke would just further the divide between them. He managed to get through Sasuke a tiny bit by taking a calmer approach, so maybe that would work again. "I'll give you that," Naruto acknowledged carefully. "You've made it very clear that you keep me in low regard, but you're just as in much danger as I am. You, Kakashi, Iruka, and everyone else I've been in contact with. What makes you think you'll be safe?" Naruto countered, working past the irritation threatening to cloud his mind. "You're just as human as I am, not some unemotional robot with vengeance as its main directive."
"We are nothing alike, don't group me with you." Sasuke threatened.
"Fuck, alright, we're light years away from being alike, but still, you can't do this alone. Just wait for Juugo to come back and tell us something. You tell me that it's better to know your enemy's weak spots before attacking, right? We don't know them right now, so any attack we do would just hurt us rather than them. I'm just asking you to stay with me."
It felt as though he were revealing a vulnerable side of himself to Sasuke, showing him that what was going on was truly affecting him and not just something he could brush off. He wanted to show he cared about him, even if Sasuke was a piece of shit sometimes. An ache he hadn't admitted before grew and pulsed as Sasuke simply turned his back to him and opened the front door.
"I'll be back."
xXx
The Police Commander shoved open the doors of the Medical Examiner's office, announcing his presence as he entered carefully. His eyes coming across an empty office room, Iruka cocked his head in surprise. He had been told a CSI team was supposed to meet up with him to analyze the crime scene. Instead of the usual loud murmuring they emitted as they buzzed around the scene, he was met with silence. He limped in, making his way past the office and into the autopsy room, expecting to find the group inside.
The room was surprisingly void of destruction. A few papers were scattered about, but nothing extremely out of the ordinary. All the equipment and material gleamed in the lights, proclaiming their cleanliness. The examining tables were empty, there were no bodies or blood. Vials and trays were neatly displayed, orderly and normal. Nothing really indicated a sign of a struggle or abduction, but he had been called in about the girls going missing from this very room.
Had he misheard? Struggling to move around quickly without agitating his leg too much, Iruka hobbled across the tiled floor to the storage room. Except for a few mops and buckets, among other custodial items, the room provided no answers. What the hell? Shambling back to the autopsy room, Iruka fidgeted with his radio, calling in. Receiving no response after a few tries, the commander frowned deeply. Something wasn't right about this.
A familiar tingling sensation beginning at the base of his neck and traveled down his spine, setting off alarm bells in his head. Iruka immediately knew he wasn't alone in the room. He hadn't heard a sound, but he knew. Feinting curiosity, he leaned over a metal counter and moved a few glass containers around, pretending to study the fluids inside. He caught the reflection of the visitor on the glass.
He licked his bottom lip, contemplating what to do. "Hadn't expected to see you here," Iruka spoke up casually, turning to watch Hidan smile at him. The grin was nauseating, causing Iruka's stomach to churn. As his gaze stayed on the platinum-haired man, Iruka mentally mapped the exits of the room. It was obvious this had been a trap, and he had fallen for it hook, line, and sinker.
Hidan eyed him like a cat playing with a mouse, slowly walking in. His ever present scythe was resting against his shoulder, shining menacingly at the Police Commander. "Any last words before I send you to Jashin? Your sacrifice will be greatly appreciated."
"Nothing comes to mind, at the moment. I'm afraid you've caught me at an inopportune time." Iruka smirked, a sinking feeling rising in his gut. He only had his gun with him. This wasn't good.
"Good."
The scythe swung off a broad shoulder and was launched through the air at the brunette. Iruka ducked quickly, ignoring the pain flaring up in his leg. The sharp blades sunk into the cabinets above him, shredding the wood as they were quickly yanked out.
Popping up, Iruka whipped out his gun and fired, catching Hidan in the jaw with several shots. A mess of teeth, muscle and bone exploded into the air, spraying blood onto the clean surfaces of the counters. Hidan stumbled back and cocked his head, the strands of muscle still holding bits of his face swinging with the movement.
In horrified fascination, Iruka watched as the torn flesh pulsated and wove itself back together, reconnecting his exposed jawbone. Fibrous material stretch across the hole that had been his mouth, the thin filaments giving off a resemblance to a spider web. Teeth grew rapidly, whisked out of view by newly formed gums and skin. A thick tongue pulsed as it regenerated, sliding over the new teeth. That sickening grin was back in seconds.
"Interesting parlor trick. It seems handy," Iruka spoke pleasantly, hiding the revulsion that washed over him. Eyeing the platinum-haired psycho for any sudden movements, Iruka reached back and blindly groped the counter behind him, praying to find something he could use. His fingers brushed against a thin metal object with a small blade. Recognizing it as a scalpel, Iruka's hand closed around it.
Hidan licked the blades of his scythe, lapping up his own blood. He seemingly savored the flavor before turning back to the brunette. "Let me show you another!"
Iruka ran forward and rolled over one of the autopsy tables, feeling the scythe cut the air behind him, mere inches from his body. His cap flew off with the momentum, letting his long hair loose. Strands slid into his vision as he whirled around, not wanting to turn his back to Hidan for long. Grabbing a metal tray that was empty, Iruka brought it up in time to block a dangerous strike from Hidan; his arms buckled with the force. The metal squealed as the razor sharp blades of the weapon pierced through, almost reaching him before they were finally stopped. Twisting it to the side, Iruka kicked out a Hidan, catching the man directly on the sternum. The platinum-haired man grunted, shoved back with the hit.
Using the scalpel still in his hand, the Police Commander darted to him and neatly slit through the tendons in Hidan's right hand as it was raised, dragging it up his arm, rendering it useless. The heavy scythe sank towards the ground, needing two functional hands to be wielded. He had seconds. Bringing up the weapon again, the brunette sank the knife into Hidan's left hand and dragged it down, kicking the scythe away when it clattered to the ground.
He ripped out the scalpel and drove it in one last time, sliding it across Hidan's exposed neck, forcing it as far as he could. Thick viscous blood sprayed out as Iruka quickly backpedaled, his limp now worse. He had managed to take the weapon from the beast. Whether this gave him a chance to win was unknown, but he'd much rather face the Hidan sans-scythe.
Hidan simply stared at him feverishly, his mouth in a wide grin that mimicked the slice across his throat. "You haven't fucking won yet. Jashin is still waiting." He taunted in a raspy voice, more blood leaking out before the flow began to ebb. The skin soon was seamless, showing no signs of having been cut. The psychopath reached up and patted his neck. "Now tell me. Where's the kid?"
Iruka, now with Hidan's scythe in his hands, stood his ground as Hidan advanced towards him. The heavy weapon felt foreign and uncomfortable in his hands. Just how many people had been victims to it? No matter, this wasn't the time to focus on that. "Even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you."
Taking advantage of Hidan's slow walk towards him, Iruka aimed the blades at his neck. If he could separate the head from the body, maybe the regeneration wouldn't work. It was a long shot, but Iruka didn't have a choice.
Charging forward with a stumbling gait, Iruka drew the scythe back and rammed it into Hidan's body. Much to his dismay, the blade sunk between Hidan's shoulder and neck, missing his goal by a thin margin. Shit!
Hidan reacted immediately, ripping the scythe from his torso and attacking the Police commander with impressive speed.
Iruka stumbled back as the handle of the scythe caught him across the chest, sending him flying. He had brought his arm up to block the attack, but the feeling of several of his fingers break along with his wrist convinced him it hadn't been to his benefit. He had barely processed the attack when Hidan struck again.
Crying out, Iruka was lifted by the front of his shirt by super-human strength and slammed onto the metal counter brutally, knocking down vials and jars as he was dragged off only to be thrown halfway across the room and into a steel cart with supplies. Agony tore through his chest as he felt things snap inside him. Blood erupted in spray, spilling down his shirt and onto the floor. Iruka lurched forward, almost falling as the floor became slippery with the fluid. "Gahh, haa." He grunted weakly, unable to speak. It hurt, it hurt so bad. He struggled to stay conscious, fighting back the haze that threatened to overtake him.
His breath nothing more than a bloody wheeze, Iruka rapidly blinked as his vision doubled and faded before clearing a tiny bit. His head throbbed, a pounding headache taking over. Ruby liquid dripped down his forehead, spilling onto his uninjured eye as he tried to wipe it away. Trembling, his head slowly came up as footsteps filled the room. Black locks of hair stuck to his face, his normally brown tone gone as it was saturated with his own life's essence.
Hidan casually moved towards him, scythe glinting under the harsh lights as he pulled it back. That dangerous smile was carved into his face once again, exposing more teeth. "Aren't you fucking dead yet?" he grunted, his tone almost bored. "You're no goddamn fun."
Iruka knew he wasn't going to make it out alive. His knee nearly giving out, the Police Commander stood, grabbing onto the fallen cart for support. His right leg was refusing to obey him; he could see the white sharp point of his fibula jutting out of the skin. Funny, he couldn't distinguish the pain of his leg from the ocean of agony his body was drowning in.
Hawking up a thick glob of blood and mucus, Iruka spat it out to the side before regarding his executioner. The action caused spots of red to flash across his sight as his lungs protested. "Keep trying," he rasped, his body shaking as he tried to stay upright. He felt cold. Dread pervaded his body, but Iruka stood tall.
The brunette suddenly yanked out his gun again in desperation, firing off a few wild shots before Hidan slapped the firearm from his hand and delivered a brutal kick to his injured leg. The platinum-haired man reached down and threw the screaming brunette to one of the autopsy tables, abruptly silencing him as he slammed him repeatedly against it before throwing him to the side.
He hadn't expected this was the way he was going out. He and his silver-haired devil were supposed to grow old together, walking away from all the violence and brutality that accompanied their jobs. They were supposed to live out in peace, drinking wine under full moons, traveling the world, watching the seasons change. Kakashi I love you. I'm so, so sorry—
He saw more than felt the three-pronged scythe sink into his body. As if in slow motion, he watched Hidan's arms cut towards him, the blades sliding neatly into his chest and poking out his back. Shoved with the motion, Iruka was thrown back against another cabinet, pinned in place as his legs gave out. A terrible scream was cut short as his lungs were pierced by blade and ribs, severing the vital organs neatly. Splatters of blood coughed out, dripping down like drool.
"Shoulda told me where the fuck the kid is," Hidan snarled, his arms wiggling the scythe to bring the man more pain. "But I still would have killed you." With curious wide eyes, Hidan watched as a violently shaking bloody hand reached up and grasped his collar weakly, tugging it down. The Police Commander's head came up and their eyes met. Seeing nothing but pain, anger and terror in the fading brown orbs, Hidan snorted. He cuffed the hand off his collar and stepped back, jerking his weapon to him as he moved.
With a sickening shlick, the blades slid out. The man's body dropped and crumpled to the floor in a bloody heap. The brunette's face met the ground, the crunch of a broken nose following it. Kicking the head a few times to check for life, Hidan was pleased to see he no longer moved.
Humming, he cleaned the blades of his scythe with his sleeve, giving it a cursory lick that resulted in a grimace. It was too sweet.
Finished with his work, he glanced around, bored. Should he take the body down to the crematorium and get rid of it to save some time, or just leave it and have fun with Kakashi? He was practically giddy at the thought of the other man finding the mutilated body of his lover. Maybe he should cut off a hand and leave it to be ID'd and dump the body elsewhere. Or he could sell it off, but due to the damage sustained, not to mention the ruined organs, he might not get a lot.
His pocket vibrated, breaking him out of his contemplation.
"Ha? …..Yea, I killed him. He wasn't going to talk, so don't give me that bullshit."
Hidan glanced down at Iruka's body, raising a platinum brow at the words of his caller. After a moment's hesitation, he grinned, toying with his scythe. "Fuck it, let's do it. If Madara says he'll try it, I'll bring him in. And get the fuck out of my room, Konan. I don't give a fuck what Pein will do this time."
Ending the call, the tall man bent down and grabbed the collar of Iruka's shirt, hoisting the limp carcass onto a bloodied table. After a quick search, Hidan found the body bags and deposited Iruka inside one, zipping him up and throwing him over his shoulder as he left.
He kicked open the doors carelessly, amused at the sudden banging of the doors meeting the walls.
xXx
With the hood pulled over his head, Sasuke noted with distaste that it had begun to rain. Earsplitting claps of thunder thrummed in the atmosphere, accompanying the sudden downpour. Shoving his hand into his jean pockets, he hunched his shoulders and kept walking, picking up the pace to avoid getting thoroughly soaked.
He refused to think about what Naruto told him. What the hell did he care how Naruto felt? Sasuke had told him that whatever was happening between them was nothing more than taking care of a bodily need. He wasn't responsible for any delusions Naruto might have been harboring. He wasn't normal, and neither was anything that would grow from a relationship between them.
Obsidian eyes swept from side to side discreetly, pausing for seconds on each figure that stepped into his line of view. He analyzed each face that walked by, on alert in case someone recognized him or could be a threat. He wasn't worried about the average citizen thinking he was criminal, but one of the lackey's from another organization that faced off with Kakashi could be hiding amongst them.
The seedy part of town was a dump, cluttered with trash and people desperate to get their drug fix. Puddles accumulated water in pot holes, creating deep pools every few feet. The storm drains struggled to deal with the vast amounts of water and trash attempting to pass the grates, bubbling as more junk built up.
Bowing his head further, Sasuke trudged into a nearly inconspicuous alley, counting each door he passed until he came to a certain one with a busted lock. Slipping inside and closing the door behind him, Sasuke drew back his hood and marched forward, idly stepping by old pieces of furniture. He passed room after room, only stopping once he reached the stairs. Instead of walking up the steps to the next floor, he marched up a few steps and felt along the wall, brushing bits and pieces of old wallpaper off.
His fingers soon encountered a small indentation, to which he applied some force. After a bit of shoving, the wall suddenly moved, giving way and sliding forward a foot. Entering the space, Sasuke slipped into a larger room, this one fully furnished and well kept. It aura of the room was one of a private club, with drinks being served by a bartender in a far off corner and soft music playing. The lights were dim, giving the room an atmosphere of secrecy. People were dressed in clothes ranging from formal to casual, all sparing him a glance as he walked on. Sasuke spotted a few people he knew loitering around, more than likely gathering information for Kakashi. He kept his head straight to avoid unnecessary conversations.
Someone grabbed his arm insistently, drawing his attention. A snarl curling his lips, Sasuke dislodged the arm easily and turned to face whoever clutched him.
"Hey, whoa, Sasuke! It's me!"
"Suigetsu?" Sasuke said in disbelief, arching a brow as he took in Suigetsu's sharp grin. "What are you doing here? I thought you were with Juugo and Temari."
Suigetsu nodded, shrugging a shoulder and wrapping an arm around Sasuke's. He guided the raven into a more secluded area, eyeing the other patrons carefully. Taking a swig from the glass in his hand, he gave it to Sasuke, reaching for a new one from a waiter passing by with a tray. "I was, until Kakashi demanded we figure out what the hell happened and sent me to check up on the guys over here and see what I can find."
Sasuke shrugged off Suigetsu's arm and grabbed the new drink. "And?"
"So far, nothing. No one really knows anything since Kakashi came in and did damage control. The only ones who would know are the ones who had a hand in it. I can't say much to anyone without revealing what happened, but no one has mentioned it to me. No one is confirming any rumors."
Sasuke downed the drink, grimacing at the burn. It had been while since he had straight up vodka. "Maybe you're not asking the right questions."
"Aw, gimme some credit. I almost died the other day, and now I'm back here, working my ass off."
"As did I, but you don't see me bitching about it. You probably got over it while fucking some hooker."
"I'll let Karin know you said that," Suigetsu snorted, an amused look crossing his face. "She's bitching about being undercover since she keeps getting accosted, and since the outfit and makeup are so tacky, she wants to change over to another branch."
"What, can't handle it?"
"More like she beats the ever living fuck out of every patron who tries to touch her, so she isn't getting any information. It doesn't help that she manages to draw them in, but then nearly kills them. Kakashi's contemplating putting her with our group, seeing as we work well together."
"I take it Temari didn't like that idea?"
"Who cares, she's out fucking Shikamaru nearly every day, and Juugo is out becoming one with nature. Meanwhile I'm stuck at home and have nothing to do."
"And having Karin there is hypothetically going to make you more productive?"
"Nah, I just won't be as bored," Suigetsu grinned. The toothy smile slipped off his lips as his eyes focused on something past Sasuke for a few seconds. Turning back, he tilted his head slightly, averting his eyes.
"Actually, now that I remember, there was something I picked up."
"Make it quick, unlike you, I have some business to take care of." Sasuke sighed heavily, reaching up to rub the back of his neck. He hadn't slept at all last night and his body was suffering.
"Someone's looking for you, but they wanna deal."
"Deal what?"
"Not sure, I just know that they're asking other members to contact you to meet up. But it's strictly our guys, not anyone else."
"Who is it?"
Grimacing, Suigetsu waved a hand towards the back of the room, where several doors led out. "He's in the broker's room. Says he has important information that he can only relay to you."
"Who is it?"
Suigetsu hesitated, looking uncharacteristically nervous. "I think it might be better if you don't go, trust me. It's nothing worth dealing with."
"Then why would you even bring it up?" Sasuke deadpanned, now more curious than ever to meet the mysterious person asking for him. What kind of information did he have?
"Fuck, right. Ahhh, Just be careful."
Leaving the other man alone, Sasuke dumped the rest of his drink in a trash can, marching straight to the room. After elbowing past more people than he cared to count, Sasuke stopped just before the door, resting his hand on the gold handle. The thick wooden door was elegant, hiding something he didn't know.
With the thought that his handgun was easily accessible, not to mention he had Suigetsu and a few others who would jump in and fight if things got nasty, Sasuke turned the knob and strode in, almost sauntering. It belayed his slight nervousness at not knowing what to expect.
Seated at a chaise couch in the corner of the room was a heavily pierced redhead. The man was flipping through a book idly, his face impassive.
Silently, Sasuke watched the man and sat down in one of the chairs around a desk that rested in the middle of the room. Normally intended for passing information secretly with no fear of spying or eavesdropping, the thick walls were soundproof and specifically designed to disrupt electronic equipment. Nothing said in the room was leaving it.
Sasuke crossed his legs, resting his right ankle on his left knee and leaning back. "If we're going to do business, isn't it polite to approach a possible client personally?"
"If we were normal business partners, then yes. But you and I both know that's not how this game works."
"Who's game, yours or the Akatsuki's?"
"I am not here under Madara's orders."
"Does he know you're here, talking to his precious nephew?"
"Your familiar ties are not relevant. And no, he isn't aware we're having this conversation."
"Spare me the details and tell me what you want, Pein."
"Very well." The redhead rose to his feet, almost gliding as he sat opposite Sasuke. The piercings shimmered in the low light, giving the redhead a strange shiny look. "I want you to give up the boy, and let the Akatsuki have the key to immortality."
Sasuke nearly snorted derisively, but he was interested. "A rather bold demand. What happened to not working with Madara?"
"And in exchange, I will give you everything you need to hunt down and kill Itachi Uchiha."
It felt as if his skin had been doused in icy water. The beating of his heart beginning to drum in his ears, Sasuke swallowed, despite his throat suddenly feeling dry. He fought to keep his physical appearance as merely bored, fighting the urge to demand Pein to give him the information. Pein had mentioned he was here on his own terms, meaning he wanted something.
"What's in it for you? If not for Madara, then why?"
"The decision to kill Itachi, and subsequently Madara, is all up to you, as I am neither friend nor enemy. The decision to kill the other members as well. As a limitation, I only request that Konan be left untouched. She and I are to be spared of whatever future may befall Akatsuki." Pein spoke calmly, his head tilting slightly as he glanced away.
"Why are you telling me this? This is shit Kakashi deals with, not me," Sasuke inquired, uncrossing his legs.
"Kakashi will not be in the right state of mind to be holding any coherent conversation. After this day, he'll go after the Akatsuki with an unmatched ferocity, and although I do not fear you or Kakashi, I do wish to remove Konan from harm's way."
Not be in the right state of mind? What the fuck did they do? "What have you done?"
"It's not what has been done, but what will be done. Death will not be an escape, but merely an exploitable journey the Akatsuki can use for information."
"Death? Whose?"
"That is not a part of our conversation. Do we have a deal or not?" Pein produced a plain manilla folder from the desk, placing it in between them and sliding it towards Sasuke. "To incentivize you, I've included transportation, money to gain access, and his exact location. Nothing will stand in your way, as the Akatsuki will be dealing with more pressing matters once Naruto is in their hands. Seeing as this is what you've dedicated your life to, I see no viable reason to decline."
Sasuke stared at the folder, his fingers twitching. This was it. This is what he wanted, the reason he existed. With that file, he was golden. No more stalling, no more false leads. The trial of dead bodies left by his brother would end, with Itachi's being the final body to fall.
The hunt for vengeance that had driven him all this years was finally within his grasp, he had what he was searching for, he could finally find the one who had ruined everything and end this once and for all. This was the end, and he could see it now, so close.
The fingers of his right hand tightened into a fist in his lap as he stopped himself from reaching towards the folder and flipping it open right then and there. The same hand who was no longer flesh and blood thanks to Itachi. A permanent reminder of who he was hunting and why, and how far he was willing to go to end this.
Staring at the inconspicuous folder he couldn't quite believe it was going to be this easy. He had been hunting Itachi for years, and now this folder was being presented to him like it was nothing. It seemed too easy, like a trap. But judging by how serious Pein was, Sasuke doubted it was one.
"No harm will befall the boy if he acts accordingly, I assure you. Now tell me, what is your decision?"
A/N: I fucking love Iruka, so don't start. I know what I'm doing so chill; it's relevant, I promise. Lemme know what you thought, drop a review ;)