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 26: Recovering- Day by Day
"There is no magic cure, no making it all go away forever. There are only small steps upward; an easier day, an unexpected laugh, a mirror that doesn't matter anymore.
I am thawing."
-Laurie Halse Anderson
--
Gaara was in a coma for a week.
Naruto visited him once, but was so terrified being at the asylum again that he couldn't get the nerve to go back. Guilt racked his mind everyday that he didn't go, but Lee assured him that Gaara would never hold it against him.
Lee, on the other hand, was there every day, all day.
Sasuke had reported the orderly that assaulted Lee, and him and his lackies were fired on the spot, much to his relief. Sasuke still went with him for a couple days to be sure that he was safe, but slowly backed off to give him the space he knew Lee wanted.
On the sixth day of Gaara's coma, as Lee sat by his side and gently ran his fingers through his hair, Gaara's lips parted and he just faintly whispered something. Lee froze. His heart clenched tightly in his chest as he desperately hoped he wasn't just imagining it. He leaned in, holding his breath as he brought his ear close to Gaara's lips.
At first there was nothing, and he could feel his hope dwindling, but then he heard him. Gaara quietly murmured one word. One word that made the brunette's heart leap up his throat. One word that made him smile after a very long week of tears.
"Lee.."
--
6 Months Later
Beep beep beep
"Nnnn.."
Beep beep beep
"Nnn.. Naru.."
Beep beep beep
"The alarm.."
Beep beep beep
"Mmmmnn- don't wanna" Naruto groaned, burying his face in the crook of Sasuke's neck.
"Come on, dobe. We gotta get up."
"Nnndontcallmedatteme.."
Sasuke slid tired eyes over to the mess of blonde hair beside him. "What was that?"
Naruto yawned loudly, then sighed dramatically. "Ughhhh- I said, don't call me that Teme!"
Sasuke rolled on top of him, eyes narrowed. "Don't start something you can't finish- dobe."
Naruto grinned up at him with his devilish little fox grin. "You know- there are better things you could be doing with that mouth of yours.."
Sasuke tilted his head. "Oh yeah? Did you have something in mind?"
Naruto wrapped his arms around the raven, pulling him close. "A few."
"You're never going to make it to your first class- you know that right?"
Naruto shrugged. "Good thing my sensei likes me."
"Kakashi has to be a masochist to get a teaching job here.."
"I'm pretty sure he just missed his favorite student."
"What does that have to do with you?"
Naruto playfully shoved at him. "Such a Teme."
Sasuke smiled down at his blonde, eyes moving from his beautiful blue eyes to the freckles sprinkled across his whiskered cheeks to his soft lips, pink and parted and waiting.
"I love you, my little fox."
Naruto blushed and opened his mouth to respond, but Sasuke captured his lips before he could. Their tongues intertwined, fighting for dominance- a game Sasuke always won.
Because Naruto always let him.
He ran his hand under Naruto's shirt and up his stomach, lightly caressing his scars. It took a long time for him to be ok with Sasuke doing that. At first Naruto saw them as a reminder of Itachi. Of Deidara. Of that horrible day.
It branded him the same way his whisker-like scars did. They reminded him that he was always Deidara's victim, his toy, his.. rabbit.
He hated them.
He couldn't even look at himself in the mirror.
But a combination of Sasuke's love, gentle therapy, and simply.. time helped Naruto see them in a different way. He wasn't branded, he wasn't marked- they were battle scars. Proof that he had done more than escape death- he had faced it head on.
And he had won.
Those scars were badges of strength and resilience- something to wear with pride rather than hide in shame.
The first time Naruto took his shirt off in front of him after everything that happened, Sasuke tenderly kissed every last scar, murmuring sweet nothings against his stomach, chest, and throat as he made his way to his face, where he kissed all six scars on his cheeks.
Naruto saw something different in himself after that day. Something beautiful.
After so much trauma and pain, he finally saw what Sasuke saw when he looked at him.
The Uchiha nuzzled his face against his neck, pulling him from his thoughts. "Whatcha thinking about, little fox?"
Naruto ran his hands through his raven's ebony hair, enjoying the feel of the silky strands slipping between his fingers. "Just how lucky I am to have you."
Sasuke kissed the corner of his eye, then suggestively moved his hips against Naruto's. "I'm feeling a bit lucky myself.."
Naruto playfully yanked at his hair. "Damn perv"
Sasuke slipped his hand down to his ass and gave it a firm squeeze. "You like it."
Naruto laughed. "Shut up and take your pants off before I change my mind."
--
"Gaara! Come on.. not- mnnnn- not here.."
The redhead grinned. "Don't be shy, duckling."
"But.. class is going to- ahhh.. class is going to- to start soon.." Lee breathed, barely stifling the moans rising in his throat.
Gaara leaned in and licked along his ear, desire stirring in his core as he watched the brunette shiver.
God.. it's so fun making him squirm..
"We're in the back" he whispered, "and it's a big auditorium. No one's going to notice.."
He kissed his way down Lee's neck, distracting him as he unbuttoned his pants and slipped a hand into his boxers. Lee mewled and quickly covered his mouth to muffle any other sounds.
"I love those sounds" Gaara murmured against his neck, "don't hide them."
Lee grabbed his wrist as Gaara wrapped a hand around his length. Both gave a tight squeeze, but Lee's hold faltered as his body responded.
"G-Gaara, let's.. let's just go- mnnnn- home.."
The lights dimmed and the lecture started- their professor's voice booming in the microphone, echoing around the large lecture hall. In the back row, tucked in a dark corner, Lee threw his head back as Gaara's hand pumped faster and faster. Their lips met in a fierce kiss, swallowing Lee's moans. He thrust into Gaara's hand, no longer able to hold back.
His vision went white and he could feel himself about to finish when Gaara suddenly pulled his hand away. He leaned back and Lee looked up at him, his eyes filled with confusion and disappointment. "W-why..?" he breathed.
Gaara winked, then dropped his face down into Lee's lap, and in one motion slid his length down his throat. Lee shoved his hand against his mouth in time to force back a moan. He jerked his hips as Gaara's head bobbed up and down, unable to hold back. He couldn't think, there was just Gaara's mouth around his throbbing cock- hot and soft.
Everything else faded as he lost himself in the feel of him.
Lee bit his lip hard and roughly grabbed a fistful of Gaara's hair, holding him close as he thrust deeper into his mouth. He was so close he could taste it. He craved it. He was willing to beg for it.
"Pl-please.." he whispered, "don't stop.."
Gaara's mouth tightened around him and Lee's entire body shook as his release shot down his throat. The redhead swallowed it up greedily, licking his lips for good measure. When he sat up Lee could see hazy green orbs shining with excitement and mischief.
Lee eyed him warily. He's been with the redhead long enough to know what that look meant.
Gaara looked around, but the auditorium was still dark and no one had seemed to notice anything happening in the back row. He looked over at Lee again, watching those innocent obsidian eyes fill with understanding.
Gaara pulled down his zipper and grinned.
"My turn."
--
Naruto didn't make it to his first or second class, a habit he really should work on. But the Uchiha was hard to resist!
He did manage to get himself together enough to make it to his noon class, though, which he decided was still a noteworthy accomplishment.
Even though it had been more than six months since Naruto had been attacked on campus, Sasuke insisted on walking him to his classes everyday.
Well, most of them.
There were a couple he couldn't walk Naruto to due to his own classes, and he never handled those times well. He ended up buying the blonde a cell phone, something he realized he should have done much sooner, and insisted that he text him the entire walk there.
Naruto understood his concern, and he did love getting texts from his person throughout the day, but there were times Sasuke drove him up a fucking wall. Yes- a lot of shit has happened to him. But he was still a man! He wasn't a child, and he didn't want to be treated like one.
Sasuke had always been protective of him, since the day he found him outside of Konoha's Residential Facility for Teenage Boys. A terrified fourteen year old, covered in blood and begging for help. The minute he saw him, Sasuke was determined to save him.
And he has. Many times.
But Naruto worried that Sasuke still saw that broken fourteen year old when he looked at him. He wanted to be strong like Lee, assertive like Gaara, fearless like Jiraiya, brave like Sasuke.. but that damaged little blonde was still there, just beneath the surface. He hated that it was still a part of him, and he hated that Sasuke could still see it.
He wondered if he could ever make that part of himself go away..
"Time doesn't erase our pain, but it does help the memory of it fade."
His therapist, Tsunade, often reminded him of this when he began to crack beneath the weight of his past. She was kind to him, though often brutally honest- but he kind of liked that. She didn't walk on eggshells around him, didn't treat him like a victim. And while she was sometimes rather.. abrasive, she was wise beyond her years.
Naruto felt he could trust her immediately, though a large part of that was because Jiraiya had recommended her to him.
Naruto was relieved that the man was still part of his life. He wasn't sure he would be..
.. wasn't sure Jiraiya would even want to be.
Then one day, out of the blue, he called Sasuke's cell to treat them all to ramen, and they had been close ever since. He had become something of a father figure to Naruto- something he's never had.
"Another important piece in your recovery" Tsunade had said when he told her about it.
"What is?"
"New relationships. Letting yourself be close to others, letting others see who you truly are. That started when you met Sasuke as a kid, but the separation from him- on more than one occasion- hindered that part of your recovery. A part that you have now reclaimed."
Naruto nodded, though he wasn't sure he completely understood.
Tsunade reached out and lightly grasped his hand. "You're doing well, Naruto. Exceptionally so."
Naruto swallowed back the wave of emotions rising in his throat as he met her eyes.
"There is no fast solution. It will take time to start to feel ok after facing so much trauma. But there will be a day. A day when the nightmares are less clear, when the pain fades, when the fear feels like a distant memory. All you can do is put one foot in front of the other as you slowly reclaim your life."
Something in his chest loosened a little when she spoke to him like this, and he often left her office with an incredible sense of peace. Sasuke had a hard time trusting anyone around his Naruto, but even he noticed the effect Tsunade had on him, and was quick to approve of her.
Sasuke gave his hand a gentle squeeze, pulling him back to reality. "You drifted off on me for a second. What's on your mind?"
Naruto smiled. "Sorry- guess I'm just distracted today."
Sasuke's brows furrowed as he studied the blonde's face. "Is something wrong?"
Naruto squeezed his hand back as they turned towards the academic building his next class was in. "You worry too much, Sasuke. I was just thinking about something Tsunade said."
Sasuke eyed him for a moment longer, trying to see if he was hiding something, but saw that he was being genuine. "Something.. you feel like sharing?"
He was always careful not to pry when it came to Naruto's therapy sessions. He could see Naruto's progress, and he didn't want to get in the way of that. Of course, he wanted his blonde to be able to come to him, to tell him anything and everything, but he knew it wasn't always easy telling the people closest to you about your worst moments.. your darkest thoughts.
They came to a stop and, completely unfazed by the watchful eyes around them, Naruto pulled Sasuke in and kissed him. He leaned back to look up into the Uchiha's pale face and wide curious eyes. "She said there would be a day when the nightmares aren't as clear.."
Sasuke's eyes hardened, but he kept quiet.
Naruto smiled. "That's what it's like when I'm with you, S'ke. You make everything else fade away."
Sasuke pulled the blonde close and kissed the top of his head. "Then I guess you'll just have to always stay by my side" he murmured into his hair.
"I think I can do that."
Naruto peeked up at him with that silly fox-like grin. "Starting.. right after this class."
He gave him a quick kiss and bounded up the steps, laughing to himself along the way.
Sasuke shook his head, but couldn't help but smile at the blonde's antics.
"Dobe."
--
When Sasuke and Naruto heard the whole story behind Itachi's plans, they found it incredibly difficult to believe. And they had lived it! They couldn't imagine how they'd ever get anyone else to buy any of it.
Luckily, there was plenty of evidence.
Not to mention the six men looking to make a deal, hoping for a lighter sentence in exchange for their testimony.
Six.
There were six of them.
That in itself was hard to believe.
As it turns out, Deva was not one of three- he was one of six. All identical, with bright orange hair, matching piercings, and cold hollow eyes. Half of them were in prison for assault (shocker) and the other three were willing to do anything to get them out.
That's where Itachi came in.
A close friend of the sextuplets was a man named Nagato. He spent some time in the asylum, and due to his small stature and weakened state, the man became an easy target. Itachi saved Nagato from a group of handsy orderlies, and kept the man close after that- ensuring his safety.
A debt that Nagato knew would one day have to be paid.
When he was finally released from those horrid walls, he still wasn't truly free. He had no choice but to sneak in at night to converse with Itachi- to receive new orders and report in once they were completed. Because as grateful as Nagato was towards the raven, he was just as equally terrified of him. The steel door between them would not keep him safe if he ever failed the Uchiha, so he quickly did everything he was told, no questions asked.
At first Nagato's job was to gather intel on Sasuke, and then on Naruto. As Itachi's obsession with the blonde grew, his demands became all the more difficult to meet. That's when Nagato recruited the help of three of the six brothers- Deva, Naraka, and Hu. Itachi told him that he had connections in Konoha's prison, and that if they did what they were told he could arrange to have Asura, Ani, and Preta released.
The Pein Brothers were no strangers to crime or cruelty, and were eager to be reunited with the others.
Itachi had found himself the perfect puppets.
"Connections in Konoha prison.." Naruto repeated. He looked up at his adoptive mother and the team of investigators she had hired. "Is that.. is that how he ended up working with.. Deidara?"
The woman nodded. "Yes, Naruto. He had Nagato look thoroughly into your background after the two of you met-"
Naruto flinched, knowing how badly he had fucked up that day.
She pretended not to notice and continued. "A file was drawn up on Deidara after we pressed charges. Everything about your past was in there."
"Was?"
She turned to her nephew this time. "The file is missing."
"Missing" Sasuke repeated.
She nodded.
"Is that.. bad?" Naruto asked. "I mean.. should we be worried?"
One of the lead investigators answered this time. "We don't believe so. The file only seemed to contain a history of the abuse. Itachi would have been the only one to benefit from that knowledge."
Naruto nodded.
Knowing what Deidara did showed Itachi one more way he could hurt me.. could break me..
"So now, what? We just pretend like those fucking psycho brothers didn't torture Naruto?! We just let them get away with it?!"
The man put a hand out, trying to calm him. "That's not what we're saying. We are simply here to give you the facts."
Sasuke's temper didn't cool. If anything the man's calm demeanor only seemed to intensify it.
"Here's a fucking fact- Itachi isn't the only one who hurt Naruto. I don't care why they did what they did. They tortured him. They need to fucking pay for that!!"
"Sasuke-"
"No. I mean it. I refuse to let them get away with this."
Naruto found his hand under the table and intertwined their fingers together. "I know" he said softly. "Let's just hear what they have to say first, ok?"
Sasuke used his free hand to roughly push back his hair. He gritted just teeth together as he fought to get his anger under control.
"Fine" he snapped.
The investigator looked over at the woman, and she gave a slight nod, encouraging him to continue.
"This.. might be difficult to hear.."
Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Because everything else has been such a fucking picnic.."
Naruto pulled at his hand, drawing his attention. He looked over and met stern blue eyes. "Sasuke."
He sighed. "Fine. Fine. Tell us."
"We.. were able to uncover information on your parents, Naruto."
Naruto's mouth dropped open. He tried to speak, but the words snagged in his throat.
"Wh-what..?" he choked out.
The man pulled out a small notebook, flipped to a page, and started to read aloud. "Minato and Kushina Uzumaki. Ages thirty-three and thirty-two. They were killed when you were around six or seven years old."
Naruto stared at him. "I.. I don't remember.. how could I not remember them..?"
"It is likely that you blocked the memory. We believe you were.. there when it happened."
Sasuke's jerked his head over at that. "Naruto was there?!"
"We believe so."
Naruto watched the man closely. "You know who did it, don't you?" When he didn't deny it, Naruto pressed on. "Who was it..? Who.. killed them?"
"Deidara."
Naruto paled. "What..? But.. why? I don't- I don't understand."
He glanced down at his notebook. "Your parents were detectives. Specializing in child safety. They were investigating a human trafficking case. Deidara was at the center of it."
"Deidara was a human trafficker?!"
The investigator shook his head. "No."
Sasuke and Naruto exchanged a confused look, but kept quiet as they waited for him to continue.
"Deidara had a kid. A boy- your age. He was.. one of the victims. He had been picked up by the traffickers on his way home from school, and sold. Your parents had two cases- the boy and the trafficking ring. They.. went with the trafficking. They were able to shut down the entire ring, and so many were returned to their families, but as for Deidara's son, well... they didn't make it in time."
Naruto dragged his fingers through his hair, pulling at the strands as he processed everything the man was telling him.
"So that's why.." he whispered to himself. "I never understood why he hated me so much.."
"Naruto.."
"It all makes sense. He was punishing me for what they did. Because.. because my parents abandoned his son. They let him die!"
"No, Naruto."
He swallowed hard and looked up.
"Your parents did everything they could. That boy's trail went cold. They had a chance to shut down the entire ring, and they took it." The man slowly pulled something free from his notebook before slowly closing it. "It was because they stopped the trafficking that they were able to get more intel."
The investigator stepped up to the table and looked down with gentle eyes. "What happened to Deidara's son is tragic, but it wasn't your parents' fault. And it wasn't your fault either."
He held out a small piece of paper, and after a moment of hesitation, Naruto took it. He knew what it was before he even looked down. His fingers trembled along the edges of the photo, and tears filled his eyes as he finally lowered his gaze.
A man with long blonde hair and kind blue eyes smiled back at him. He had an arm wrapped around a beautiful woman with long auburn hair and a wide fox grin. And in her arms..
Me..
He was young, maybe three or four. His hair was wild and his cheeks flushed. He was looking up at his loving parents with a toothy grin, happy as can be.
There were no scars on his cheeks, no pain in his eyes..
Naruto turned away, letting heavy blonde bangs hide the tears that slowly slid down his face.
The investigator, clearly uncomfortable, was the first to break the silence. "That picture belongs to you now.. there are a few other things, along with the money they left you.."
He cleared his throat. "But.. we can talk about that later." He dropped his card on the table in front of him. "We will be in touch."
He said a quick goodbye to the other Uchihas, nodded at his team, and the group left.
"I know this is a lot to process, Naruto." The woman looked up at her nephew. "Sasuke, why don't you take him home. The two of you should talk."
Sasuke nodded. "Thank you" he said quietly. "For looking into this, for.. everything."
"No need" she said, brushing off his thanks. "We are family, after all."
Sasuke gave a small bow, then helped Naruto to his feet and carefully led him down the hall.
"Take care of him" she called after the two.
"I will" they responded in unison.
Sasuke paused and lightly brushed away the blonde's tears. Naruto looked up into his face, blue eyes flickering between deep obsidian ones.
He looks so small, he thought, so.. vulnerable.
Sasuke gave him a soft, reassuring smile.
"Always."
--
Naruto skipped his classes for a few days after that. And despite his many protests, Sasuke skipped with him.
"I'm fine, Sasuke" he said unconvincingly for the millionth time. "You should go."
"You're not. And I won't."
Their door suddenly flung open and an unwelcome guest barged inside, pulling a second guest along with him. "There you are, Blondie! I was wondering if I would-"
Gaara paused.
"What did you do now, Uchiha?"
Sasuke glared. "Why are you here, Gaara?"
The redhead yanked his little uke closer, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. "Well, my little duckling and I missed seeing Naruto, and decided to stop in."
He gave Sasuke a look. "Don't worry Uchiha. No one came to see you."
"Really love how you think you can just come in here whenever you feel like it. And how you didn't even bother to fucking knock."
Gaara rolled his eyes. "Calm down, I wouldn't have come in here if you were fucking."
Lee's eyes went wide. "Gaara!"
"What? The entire hallway can hear them. It was pretty obvious nothing was happening this time."
"That doesn't mean you should just-" Lee sighed. "We're sorry for bothering you two."
He tried to drag the redhead out of the room, but Gaara wasn't having it. Instead he pushed Lee down into a chair, dragged over another one, and turned to face the downcast blonde.
"You gonna tell me what happened, Blondie?" he said softly, his voice surprisingly gentle.
Naruto bit his lip, debating.
"Come on. I'm all ears."
He couldn't deny that Gaara had been his confidant for a long time. When Sasuke left they had become incredibly close, and even now- Gaara was still his best friend.
He could tell me anything.
Everything.
So he did.
And as always, Gaara listened without judgement, without commentary- he just simply listened. After Naruto finished spilling his guts out, Gaara walked over and pulled him into a hug.
"That's.. pretty heavy."
"Yeah.."
Gaara ruffled his mess of blonde hair, then sat back. "Can I see the picture?"
Naruto was surprised. "Oh, umm- yeah. Here."
He pulled open his top desk drawer, took out the photo, and handed it over. Gaara pulled Lee close and the two looked at it together.
"You look just like him.." Lee said quietly.
"But you smile like your mom" Gaara murmured. He glanced at the Uchiha. "Only around me, of course."
"Don't piss me off, Gaara."
"You shouldn't hide this, Naruto" he said, his usually sly voice suddenly low and serious. "I know it's painful for you to think about, but this- this is too special to keep hidden."
Gaara reached over and propped the picture up on his desk. "Now you have something new to cherish."
Naruto considered this, then slid his gaze over to his parents' smiling faces.
"Yeah, I guess your right."
"Happens often. You should be used to it by now."
That won him a small smile.
It was a start.
"Come on, Duckling, Blondie- I'm treating you two to ramen."
Lee gave him a look. Gaara sighed dramatically then looked over at Sasuke. "You can come too, I guess. But only because you looked after my little Lee."
Sasuke rolled his eyes. "You ever consider talking about him like he's a person?"
Gaara tilted his head as he studied his boyfriend for a moment. Then he shook his head. "Nah- he likes being my little duck, don't you Lee?"
Sasuke glanced down at the brunette. "You're still interested in him, huh? Despite who he is as a person?"
Gaara punched him in the arm. "Stop flirting with my duckling."
"See what I mean."
Gaara shoved the Uchiha, then turned to look over at Naruto. "Blondie? You coming?"
Naruto tore his gaze away from his parents.. from his past.. and looked over at the three waiting for him.. at his future.
Sasuke held out his hand to him. "Ready?"
Naruto took a step forward.
"Yeah. I'm ready."
Author Note:
And that is the end of A Death to Escape.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for reading the other half of my twisted little tale. I hope you enjoyed this sequel, and I hope the ending did not disappoint.
I truly appreciate every one of you for taking the time to read my writing, and a special shout out to everyone who commented (especially the lovely bearlikespie ). I cannot express how much it means to me to be seen and acknowledged by all of you.
Alright, time for the next story!
"Get your shit, Cinnamon. We're leaving."
Until next time~!
Xoxox
~ Fukafukashita