Disclaimers: Naruto is someone else's, this is purely a fanfic using someone else's characters.

Warnings: This story includes strong language, violence, angst, hopefully some decent jokes, and (of course) beautiful SasuNaru love.

Chapter 32: Puppet Master

"If I kiss you all day every day for the rest of my life, it won't be enough."

-Cassandra Clare

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Orochimaru stared into dark fearful eyes, and smiled.

"Kill Naruto."

And to Sasuke's absolute horror, his body responded. He watched as his hand reached out and pulled the kunai in front of him out of the ground, his fist tightening around the handle. Despite how badly he fought against the curse, he rose to his feet and moved towards the blonde sitting just a few paces away from him.

"Wait- WAIT!!" Sasuke screamed. He grabbed his wrist with his free hand, pulling at it as hard as he could, but he couldn't get it to budge. He tried to dig his feet into the ground, but they wouldn't stop moving forward no matter how hard he tried.

"Sasuke..?" Naruto's eyes widened. He tried to scoot back across the floor, but pain shot up his body every time he moved, slowing his progress.

"Stop!!" Sasuke cried out, continuing to plead with Orochimaru, despite the complete apathy the snake showed towards his anguish. "Please, Orochimaru. Don't do this!!"

The Sannin simply smiled, watching with interest as Sasuke dropped to his knees in front of the blonde, grabbing his leg to keep him from escaping. Naruto dug his hands into the ground, trying to pull away, but Sasuke yanked him close, dragging his palms across the sharp surface. They tore open, leaving bloody smears on the floor as Naruto was forced forward.

Naruto put his injured hands up to stop him, but Sasuke grabbed his wrist and pulled him even closer.

"Sasuke- you have to fight this."

Dark, pain-filled eyes stared back at him. "I'm trying." His voice shook. "Naruto, you have to fight back. Please. Don't let me-"

Sasuke's hand suddenly shot out, grabbing a fistful of blonde hair.

"Nnnn!" Naruto groaned as Sasuke jerked his head back. "Sa.. s'ke.."

The Uchiha's eyes filled with tears as he stared helplessly into Naruto's huge blue eyes. "Naruto! Do something! Please!!"

The kunai moved towards him, and Naruto quickly pulled out his own and slammed it against Sasuke's, blocking his attack. He pushed back against it, forcing Sasuke's arm down, then pulled his free arm back and punched him across the face as hard as he could.

Sasuke dropped to the floor, and Naruto scrambled backwards. His back hit the wall and he pushed himself up. He was unsteady, but he was standing.

Unfortunately, it didn't take long for Sasuke to get back to his feet and continue to advance on the cornered blonde.

"Orochimaru" Naruto called out, "just leave Sasuke out of this! If you want me dead, then come take care of it yourself!!"

The snake smirked. "As tempting as that is, jinchuriki, this is far more amusing."

Naruto ducked, avoiding a handful of shuriken thrown his way, and quickly moved off to the side, trying to keep some space between him and Sasuke. He quickly brought his hands together, gathering as much of his chakra as he could.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

A shadow clone popped into view next to him, and he immediately started working on his Rasengan, but his energy was near its end and he was moving slower than usual.

Before he could finish the jutsu, Sasuke appeared in front of him and punched him in the stomach, hard. Naruto lost focus on his attack and his clone, and both disappeared as he bent forward, curling around his bruised abdomen. Sasuke buried his fist in Naruto's hair again and forced his head back, slamming it into the wall behind him.

"Ahh!! Sa-Sasuke."

He felt the edge of a blade press firmly against his throat.

"No.." Sasuke breathed. "No, no, NO!"

A hand suddenly grabbed Sasuke's wrist and yanked it back pulling the kunai away from Naruto's neck. Sasuke's arm was roughly forced behind his back as another hand grabbed him by the neck and pulled him away from the blonde. The kunai clattered to the floor behind him.

Sasuke glanced back and could just make out long dark hair, similar to his own.

"Itachi..?"

"Orochimaru!" Itachi's voice rang out, deep and forceful. "This is not what we agreed to!"

Sasuke's eyes widened. "You.." He ground his teeth together as he processed what his brother was saying, eyes flaring with fury. "Are you fucking kidding me?!! You're working with him?!"

Sasuke fought against Itachi, but he tightened his hold on him, keeping him still. "You son of a bitch!" he shouted. "How could you do this?!"

Itachi ignored his little brother's screams and pulled him further away from Naruto, bringing both Uchihas closer to the watchful snake on the other side of the room.

"I said you could test your curse on them- I never said you could kill them."

"Ahhh- the Uchihas.." Orochimaru's tongue flicked out, and he slowly ran it across his smile as he eyed the two. "You always believe that you have so much power, so much control."

Golden eyes narrowed as the Sannin's anger came rushing to the surface. "But not this time."

Orochimaru dropped his fingers down to his arm, his eyes shifting over to Naruto, when a massive blade was suddenly forced against his throat.

"I don't think so" Kisame growled, his razor sharp teeth on full display.

Orochimaru glanced over to where Kabuto had been to find him incapacitated- lying face down on the floor, a smug leafy Akatsuki bastard hovering over him.

Orochimaru glared over at Itachi. "You set me up."

Itachi stared back at him, completely unphased. "The Akatsuki set you up. I'm just one of many." As if to make the Uchiha's point clear, several more Akatsuki members suddenly shuffled into the room, surrounding them.

Orochimaru's eyes hardened as he followed their movements. He looked for an opening, a weak point to slip out from, but had yet to find one.

Itachi nodded at Kisame as he moved closer, and the shark-like beast of a man grabbed Orochimaru's head with one large hand and forced him to face Itachi. Before he could look away, deep crimson eyes locked on.

"Mangekyo Sharingan."

Pulled into a world of illusions, Orochimaru's control over Sasuke dropped. Itachi released his hold on him as well, and focused his attention on the snake. He had a few things he wanted to try out as he forced information on how to break the Hourglass Curse out of him.

Freed from Orochimaru's influence and Itachi's grasp, Sasuke stumbled away from them and rushed over to his blonde. When he dropped down next to him, Naruto flinched and Sasuke had to swallow back the pain that stabbed through him at the sight of it. He had worked so hard to regain Naruto's trust, to get him to be comfortable around him. Would he have to start all over again..?

"Naruto.." he said softly, holding his hands out, desperate to show him that he wasn't a threat.

Blue eyes flickered between his, anxiously trying to read him. "Sasuke..? Is it- is it just you?"

The raven nodded. "Yeah" he said, his voice cracking under the weight of his guilt, "it's just me, Naru."

Naruto's eyes filled with tears and then he threw himself into Sasuke's arms, pulling him close.

Sasuke gently wrapped an arm around him, using the other to cradle Naruto's head close to his chest. He leaned down and buried his face in soft blonde locks, kissing the top of his head.

"I'm sorry", he whispered. "I'm so sorry.."

Naruto burrowed against his shirt and took a deep shaky breath.

"Me too."

Author Note:

Don't kill your boyfriend, Sasuke!! You need him later! ..And it did get kinda close back there.

--

holds out a handful of apples and approval for Cinnamon.*

"That's a good angst horse."