Disclaimers: Naruto is someone else's, this is purely a fanfic using someone else's characters.
Warnings: This story includes strong language, violence, angst, and (of course) beautiful yaoi love.
A Death to Escape
Chapter 17: Staring- In Horror
"I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity."
-Edgar Allan Poe
--
Wha..? Where am I..?
Naruto slowly opened his eyes, blinking past the fog that swirled through his mind and obscured his vision. When it finally dissipated, he found himself lying on his back, staring up at a white ceiling. He groaned and tried to sit up, but his arms and legs wouldn't cooperate.
Why can't I..?
He looked down and saw that he was lying on a hospital cot, and his wrists and ankles were bound to it.
Panic bloomed in his chest, constricting his lungs, making it hard to breathe. What's going on? Why am I-?
Before he could finish the thought it all came back to him. The three men- their blank eyes staring down at him, orange hair and sharp piercings blurring as he lost consciousness.
They attacked me again- at the school.
Glimpses of the assault shot through his mind-
.. someone gripping a fistful of his hair, pulling him back when he tried to escape,
.. a rough hand covering his mouth, stifling his screams,
.. and-
Sasuke! They hurt him to make sure he wouldn't find me. I have to get to him! I have to find him!
Naruto fought against his restraints with new fervor, but it was still no use.
"Let me- Nnnn! " he gasped, the rest of his pleas snagging in his throat. It hurt. Badly. Pain radiated up his throat, making his head pulse violently.
What the hell happened to me?!
He could feel tears gathering in the back of his throat, his eyes burning as he struggled to push back the emotions threatening to overwhelm him. Now wasn't the time to panic.
Think. Just calm down, and think. I need to figure out where I am and how to get the fuck out of here first.
Then I can find Sasuke.
Naruto took a calming breath and looked at his surroundings. The room he was in was all white- from the ceiling and pristine walls, to the thin sheets on his cot. There was a small wooden table and chair adjacent to him, and a heavy steel door on the other side of the room. There were no windows, no hint of where he might be. Just a nearly barren room and an ominous door locking him inside it.
He tried to force his brain to connect the dots, but before he could even begin to make sense of any of it, the sound of the lock clicking open echoed through the room. He jerked his head to the side and watched as the thick metal door swung open.
Wide cerulean eyes filled with horror as a man walked in and slowly closed the door behind him. Naruto could feel his entire body shaking as deep onyx eyes stared back, a malicious smile cutting across a smooth pale face.
"Well, well, well.." a sinister voice purred. "If it isn't my favorite.. Uchiha.."
--
Sasuke and Gaara rushed through the dormitory, back to the fourth floor, and down the hall to room 413. Sasuke quickly went inside, grabbed his car keys, and turned back to find Gaara blocking his way.
"Move, Gaara."
The redhead held out his hand. "I will. As soon as you hand those over."
Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "And why would I do that?"
"You couldn't walk back by yourself" Gaara pointed out. "What makes you think you can drive?"
The Uchiha sighed. He hated to admit it, but the bastard was right. "Fine." He dropped the keys into his outstretched hand, and quickly brushed past him. "Let's go."
The two rushed back down the hall, rounded the corner.. and collided with an unsuspecting Lee. His feet slipped out from under him, and the brunette yelped as he fell back.
Gaara reached out and quickly grabbed him, yanking him into his arms before he could fall. "Careful, duckling."
Lee blushed and slipped out of his grasp. "Th-thanks", he murmured.
Gaara eyed him for a moment before making up his mind. "Uchiha" he called as the raven stepped into the elevator. Gaara grabbed the brunette's wrist and pulled him into the elevator along with him. "Lee's coming with."
"What?!" they cried in unison, turning to stare at the redhead.
"No, we don't need-"
"Shut up" Gaara snapped. "You want my help- well, this is what I require."
"Gaara..? What- what are you talking about?" Lee asked, feeling uncomfortable under the Uchiha's intense scrutiny. "Where are you taking me?"
Gaara brushed back Lee's choppy bangs to gaze down into his innocent face, noting the blush deepening across it.
"I'll explain in the car."
--
"N-no.." Naruto choked out, watching with growing horror as Itachi stepped closer.
The raven's eyes gleamed as he approached, and the sight made the blonde feel all the more panicked.
"Wa-wait..!" Naruto jerked his wrists against his restraints frantically, desperate to get away. But there was no escaping this. He was trapped, locked in a cell, strapped to a bed, completely vulnerable to the murderous Uchiha.
As Itachi closed the distance, Naruto sank further into the cot, eyes silently pleading with the Uchiha to stay away, to show mercy. The raven's smile stretched wider at the sight of it. He sat down on the edge of the cot and leaned in.
A whimper escaped Naruto's lips, exciting the Uchiha even more.
"Are you afraid, Naruto?" he murmured. He ran his fingers through soft golden locks and down the side of Naruto's neck, causing the blonde to shiver.
"I-Itachi.." he choked out, his voice thick and raspy as it crawled out of his battered throat, "pl-please.. don't-"
The raven dragged his hand across Naruto's collarbone as he studied the terrified blonde. "And what do you think it is that I'm going to do to you, Naruto?"
Naruto flinched as Itachi brushed his thumb across the bruise on his neck.
"I-I'm not an imposter.." he said hurriedly, meeting Itachi's gaze, fighting the urge to turn away and hide from those dark hollow eyes. "Your aunt wanted me to- to go by Uchiha. That's all."
His voice came out strained as desperation unfurled in his gut and rushed up his throat. "I-I'm not pretending to be a Uchiha, I- I swear. She just-"
Itachi slammed his palm over Naruto's mouth, cutting off the rest of his pleas. "Enough. Do you think your begging will work on me?"
A muffled sob reverberated behind Itachi's hand, but he ignored it. "Oh Naruto..." he whispered, his lips brushing lightly against his ear, "there's no reason to worry now. After all- I've waited so long to get you in here. I intend on enjoying myself fully before you.. leave."
Another whimper slipped free behind the Uchiha's hand.
Itachi pulled back to look down into wide fearful eyes before moving his hand from the blonde's lips to slide his fingertips along the curve of his face.
Naruto jerked his head to the side, swallowing as the caress moved past his cheekbones and sank once more into his hair.
"Don't."
Itachi chuckled softly. "Oh, this is fun already."
Naruto trembled violently. He couldn't think past his fear. His mind was blank. His nerve endings on fire. All he could do was shudder and flinch as Itachi ran his fingers through his hair, down his neck, across the whisker-like scars on his face. His body screamed, but his lips could barely form quiet pleas.
"Wh-why did you come here?" he finally managed to say. "What d-do you want..?"
"What do I want?" Itachi said slowly, as if tasting the words as he spoke them. "Hmmm.." His hand suddenly tightened in the blonde's hair, twisting a fistful of locks in his gasp.
"Nnnn.." Naruto groaned.
Itachi jerked his head back and Naruto gritted his teeth as pain shot through his scalp. He slowly opened his eyes to meet his gaze.
Itachi's smile stretched taut across his face. "What I want is.. this."
The fist in his hair clenched and Naruto gasped in pain. Itachi watched with clear amusement, eyes shining as a single tear slipped down Naruto's cheek.
"I want to see your pain, Naruto Uchiha. I want to watch you tremble in fear- just like this." Onyx eyes slid down his shivering body, then back up to lock onto his horrified eyes. "I want to hear you beg for mercy, plead for me to stop. I want to watch you unravel."
Naruto could feel bile rising up the back of his throat and quickly shoved it back down.
Do something!! he screamed at himself. You can't just let him toy with you.. torment you.. He's not going to stop. You have to do something.
Goddamnit- just DO SOMETHING!!
"St-stop.."
Itachi's smile oozed with malice. "Say it again."
Naruto looked away, disgusted. Help. I need help. I need-
"HELP!!" he finally shrieked. "SOMEONE HELP ME!!"
Itachi slammed his hand down over his mouth once more, but it was too late for that. A few orderlies passing by had heard his screams and were already rushing towards his room.
Hurry, his mind cried out, please- please, before it's too late!!
The door was suddenly thrown open and a team of large, white-clad men rushed in. Itachi looked disappointed, but the disruption didn't seem to phase him as much as Naruto thought it would. In fact, he seemed very calm for someone being manhandled and dragged away by a team of angry looking men.
"I'll see you soon, my little imposter", he sang out.
The last thing Naruto saw was that gruesome smile before the light was flipped off and the door slammed shut, drowning the terrified blonde in absolute darkness.
Author Note:
Omgggggg I finally got Naruto in the asylum! I have been ready for this point FOREVERRRR, but I wanted to build my way there! So ready for the new drama, and I hope you are too. :D
I am definitely curious to know your thoughts about Naruto's whole interaction with Itachi. I went back and forth with this scene a lot. I honestly reread it and rewrote it like a million times, and I'm still not sure that I'm completely satisfied.. I don't know. Hoping for some feedback so I can make the asylum stuff amazing for you guys. :)
Alright! Chapter 18- here we go!
