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 24: Dying- To See You
"Death is not the opposite of life, but a part of it."
-Haruki Murakami
--
Itachi turned away from the heart monitor, and smiled at his visitor. "Ahh- the imposter has finally joined us."
Us.
Itachi wasn't the only one in the room.
Naruto's eyes darted to the side and a pained sound slipped from his lips. He quickly stumbled back, eyes wide with horror.
No..
"Jirai- mmmphhh!!"
Naruto was dragged over and forced down onto the hospital cot, his cries muffled as a hand slammed over his mouth. He lashed out, punching and kicking at his attacker, but it didn't seem to faze him. The man held him down and climbed on top of him with little effort.
Panic surged through Naruto's veins, giving him just enough courage to fight back. He shot his hand out and slapped the man across the face as hard as he could.
The man jerked his head back and glared down at him, eyes burning with rage. Naruto had hoped it would throw him off enough for him to scramble off the bed and escape, but all he had done was piss him off.
And he knew he'd pay for it.
The man grabbed one of his wrists, and bent it at a sharp angle. Naruto screamed as pain shot up his arm, but the hand across his mouth only pressed tighter, dulling the sound.
Desperation clawed up his throat, urging his body to move, his screams to slip through the cracks, but it was useless. He was completely overpowered.
Tears lodged in the back of Naruto's throat and he choked them back down, not wanting to give him the satisfaction. He tried to look away- he just couldn't bear to look into those cold dark eyes again- but that clearly wasn't what he wanted.
The man released his wrist and grabbed a fistful of blonde hair, jerking Naruto's head back. Another muffled scream shot through his throat, reverberating against his lips.
"Look at me" the man growled.
Naruto ground his teeth together as he kept his gaze averted, narrowing his eyes to try to hide the fear flickering through them. He could feel his hands begin to shake and clenched them into tight fists.
He wouldn't be the complacent little rabbit that he was before.
Never again.
The man looked to the side, and his icy stare hardened. "Is there a reason you're still here... Itachi?"
The Uchiha tilted his head and smiled as he regarded the man. "Bite your tongue.." he said smoothly, "or I will do it for you."
"You wanted me here, Uchiha- did you not? To clean up your mess. Or was that all a ruse?"
Itachi's smile tightened dangerously, and he stormed up to them. The man looked unimpressed until the raven flicked out a knife and shoved it close to his throat.
"What the fuck?!"
Itachi grabbed the back of the man's head, much like how he held onto Naruto, and forced him closer to the blade.
"I do not need you, Deidara" he purred, locking eyes with the ex-convict. "I simply brought you here for my own amusement. I want to watch my little brother's favorite imposter suffer. If you cannot do that, then I can have you sent back to your cell."
Deidara glared. "You know I was released. I wouldn't be going back."
The raven pushed the knife closer, piercing the skin just enough to send a trickle of blood down his neck. A crimson warning.
"Don't forget who had you released in the first place."
Itachi looked down at the terrified blonde and gave him a tight smile, malice gleaming in his eyes. "If someone discovers that you broke into this institution to attack the boy you abused so relentlessly.."
Deidara sneered. "I get it."
Itachi pulled the knife away and wiped it off across Naruto's chest, leaving a red stain.
Marking me.
Itachi leaned close, watching the fear build in his wide azure stare.
"Now, let's see how much of a rabbit you really are.."
--
Sasuke scrutinized himself in the mirror, pulling back the long sandy brown hair into a small ponytail, and adjusting large square glasses over piercing green eyes.
Luckily for him, the Uchihas were a family of connections. It didn't take much for him to get a fake ID and a relatively convincing disguise. He offered to make the same arrangements for Lee, but he declined. He didn't think it was necessary.
Sasuke was pretty sure it was because he wanted Gaara to recognize him the second he woke up.
They have been coming to the asylum for the last three days, taking advantage of visiting hours in the hospital ward. The staff had alerted Gaara's "shrink" about the attack, who quickly reached out to the head of the Uchiha family. It didn't take long for news to reach Sasuke, and in turn- Lee.
Lee had been absolutely devastated and impossible to console, and Sasuke couldn't even blame him. The brunette had already been anxious that morning, after a heart wrenching goodbye with his lover and an uncomfortable afternoon at the police station.
Sasuke knew he hadn't been a treat to deal with either. He was irritated by the lack of support from law enforcement, and stressed out over his trapped little blonde, and he didn't bother to hide any of it.
When the two had arrived back at the Uchiha manor that afternoon, they almost immediately went their own separate ways. Sasuke went to go cool down, while Lee wandered outside to train and attempt to take his mind off things.
After they both managed to recenter themselves, Sasuke called Lee back in to eat some lunch with him when his cell rang. Their eyes met for a brief moment before Sasuke hurriedly picked up the phone.
"Did something happen..?"
Sasuke's jaw clenched as he waited for the woman to respond.
Lee watched him with huge watchful eyes, holding his breath.
"Itachi did what?!"
Lee listened intently to the woman's muffled voice, but couldn't make out what she was saying.
"Are they ok? Is Naruto-"
The woman cut him off and spoke for a few uninterrupted minutes. Sasuke paced as he listened, his eyes flashing angrily- masking the fear hidden just beneath it.
He abruptly stopped and shot his head over to stare at Lee. He looked alarmed, and Lee's blood ran cold at the sight of it.
"But he's stable now, right? Did he.. wake up yet..?"
Lee leapt to his feet. "Is it Gaara? Is he ok?!"
Sasuke ignored him as he finished the rest of the conversation. Lee felt like he was losing his mind as he waited, his patience stretched painfully thin.
Please be ok.
Please, please, please be ok..
As soon as Sasuke was off the phone, Lee was all over him. "Sasuke- what happened?! What's going on? Is it Gaara? Is he ok? Please- tell me what's going on!"
The raven gently pushed the anxious brunette down onto a chair and dropped down across from him.
"Itachi attacked them."
Lee opened his mouth to badger him with more questions, but Sasuke hurriedly cut him off. "They're alive, Lee. They're going to be ok."
"What happened..?" he choked out.
"Itachi had.. he had a knife.."
Lee's face went pale.
"Gaara was stabbed in the stomach, and Naruto was cut on the shoulder."
"Are they.. are they ok?"
"Naruto is fine, and Gaara.." he looked away. "Gaara had some internal injuries. He needed surgery, but he had lost a lot of blood and.."
Sasuke reached out and grasped Lee's hand.
"He's going to be ok now, Lee. But.. during his surgery, his heart stopped."
Tears filled those huge onyx eyes, and Sasuke could feel his chest tighten as he watched a few slip free. "They were able to bring him back, and the surgery went well, but he.. he hasn't woken up yet."
"I.. I need to see him" Lee choked out. "Please, Sasuke. I need to see him.."
The Uchiha nodded.
"I know."
Because I need to see Naruto too..
--
That first visit was hard.
Sasuke couldn't get Lee to leave the redhead's side for a single moment. When it was time for them to leave at the end of the day, Sasuke ended up having to lift the heartbroken brunette out of his chair, and pull him down the hall. Outside of the building he opened his arms, and Lee collapsed into them, his small body shaking violently as he cried against his chest. Sasuke just held him- feeling awkward at first, until he finally let go of his reservations and did his best to comfort him.
It was like that every time.
Everyday Sasuke maintained his disguise, and everyday Lee came and left with sad red-rimmed eyes and the same lost look on his face.
But Sasuke knew that sooner or later Naruto would find his way over to the redhead's side, and Lee couldn't bear to be away, so they kept coming back.
Sasuke often meandered away from the room, giving Lee private time with Gaara while testing his luck as he explored the halls, seeing how far he could get before an orderly forced him to go back.
On the third day he finally made it to the far side of the hospital ward when he spotted an orderly hovering at the end of the corridor. He slipped into the bathroom to check his disguise, then stepped back into the hall- confidently strolling forward.
The orderly was a tall man with a youthful face and a mass of disheveled white hair- long enough to trail down his back. He had an intimidating stature, but there was something about him that made him seem approachable.
The orderly looked over at the sound of his footsteps. "You lost, kid?"
"Is your name Jiraiya?" Sasuke asked, cutting right to the chase. He had a feeling he already knew the answer.
The orderly raised an eyebrow. "Do I know you?"
"No. But you know someone important to me."
Jiraiya eyed him for a moment, trying to determine if this was a friendly conversation or a veiled threat. "And that would be..?"
"Naruto."
"And how do you know Naruto?" he asked suspiciously.
"He's my-" Sasuke paused, then dropped his gaze. ".. my friend."
Jiraiya looked at him knowingly but chose not to comment.
"Where is Naruto?"
The orderly nodded towards the door across the hall. "He's visiting a friend. There was a.. mishap. He's been worried about him."
Sasuke's stomach plummeted.
"Gaara's not in there.."
Jiraiya suddenly straightened from the wall. "What?"
"Gaara is not in there!" Sasuke shouted. "I've been with him all day- his room is on the other side of the ward!"
"Then who's..?"
Obsidian eyes widened with growing horror. "Fuck!!"
Sasuke sprinted for the door, and Jiraiya ripped out his walkie-talkie to call for help. Sasuke didn't wait for him. He slammed his way into the room, ran past the empty cot, and tore back the curtain.
All the blood drained from his face.
Itachi and Deidara, the two men who had single-handedly destroyed their childhoods, had Naruto pinned to the cot- his arms forced down, while a hand stayed firmly planted against his lips, stifling his cries.
Deidara looked up from his trembling little rabbit and smiled venomously at the raven. "Well.. well.. well, it's been a while, Sasuke."
"What did you do to Naruto?" he breathed, eyes scanning over the cuts on his arms and chest, and the thin crimson line sliced across his already scarred cheek.
Deidara grinned. "Nothing that I haven't done before."
Sasuke looked repulsed,
Naruto looked ashamed,
.. and Itachi appeared to be simply delighted.
The eldest Uchiha smiled. "How perfect. I arranged this little family reunion for the imposter, but I had no idea we would be having one of our own, little brother."
Sasuke glared at him, noting the gleam in his dark eyes and the bloody knife in his hand. He slid his gaze back to Naruto, locking onto huge cerulean eyes filled with pain and terror. The blonde shook his head, trying to silently warn Sasuke not to get involved- tearing at the raven's heart even more.
Sasuke's eyes burned. "Let him go", he growled.
Itachi's smile stretched. "I don't think so."
Before Sasuke could say more, Jiraiya barreled in behind him, drawing in their attention as he came to a skidding halt. "Drop the knife!" he commanded, his voice deep and razor sharp.
Itachi's smile didn't falter.
Neither did the knife.
"I said drop it!"
Deidara looked between the two, weighing his options. He wasn't done with Naruto- not by a fucking long shot- but he wasn't about to go back to prison for Itachi's crimes.
"This was all Itachi!" he suddenly shouted out, surprising everyone in the room. "He has people in the prison- people who work for him. He arranged all of this! This isn't my fault! I'll tell you everyth-"
A thick gurgling sound slipped from his lips. Deidara stared out in confusion as warm blood filled his mouth and spewed down his chin. He glanced down and saw a knife protruding from his throat, effectively silencing him.
Terror flooded through him and he stumbled back, smashing against the wall in his haste. He tried to speak but the words were trapped, his access to them severed by the blade.
Naruto stared, watching with a mix of relief and horror as blood pooled in Deidara's mouth and poured from his throat. Their eyes met for a moment, and Naruto saw an echo of the fear he had always felt- the terror that a lifetime of torment had filled his entire being with.
This time it was Deidara's turn.
It didn't last long.
His legs gave out and he slid down the wall, collapsing in an ungraceful heap on the hospital floor. The group watched as he took a long shuddering breath, forcing thick globs of blood from his lips. He looked up at Naruto and stared, pain and longing and anger flashing from behind chilled orbs.
Not a flicker of remorse.
No sign that he regretted torturing the blonde his entire life.
Nothing of the sort.
Deidara just couldn't believe that his rabbit would outlive him. That he would never have the chance to finish what he started.. that his cruelty had actually come to an end.
Naruto's shock and horror didn't reach Sasuke. He, on the other hand, watched the man's demise with utter apathy, and maybe a hint of something akin to satisfaction.
He has been waiting for this moment for quite some time.
No one spoke, and no one moved to help him. They just watched in silence as Deidara's eyes clouded over.. his gasps went silent.. his trembling stopped.
And then he was gone.
He was finally gone.