Disclaimers: Naruto is not mine, sadly. This is purely a fanfic using someone else's characters.

Warnings: This story includes rape, strong language, violence, & obviously a lot of angst.

Naruto's Path of Pain

Chapter 5: Painful Illusions

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Sasuke wasn't completely sure what to make of this Naruto. While there were definitely certain childish antics that he didn't miss, there were a lot of things that he did. He missed his energy- the spark in his eyes, the devious pranks, the fox-like grin. He looked over at New Naruto, who seemed like a faded version of the friend that had become so precious to him.

You let go of him years ago, he reminded himself, why does it matter now?

He tugged his fingers through his hair, dropping his head.

Because you never did let go of him, not really.

And you still don't want to.

Sasuke stood abruptly and walked over to the containers of water in the cabin's small kitchen, downing half of one of them. He slammed it down on the counter, then gripped the sides of the sink and hung his head.

Fuck.. It's not supposed to be like this.

He tightened his grip on the water basin. No. You can't let him affect you like this. He's not going to change your mind. The Hidden Leaf will fall, and everyone with it.

An image of Naruto flashed through his mind- soft blue eyes, whiskered cheeks, unruly blonde locks, a small smile- one of his real ones.

Dammit, Sasuke. You can't let him.. you can't..

"Sasuke."

He straightened and looked back to find Naruto standing just inside the kitchen. Sasuke had put black sweatpants on him when he dressed his wounds so he could wash his bloody clothing. Apart from the many bandages, his torso was bare, revealing shockingly pale skin and deep bruises along his ribs.

Sasuke was surprised to see him walking around already, but on second glance he noticed the heavy fatigue. His body was shaking with the effort it took to stand, and it didn't look like he'd be able to manage it for much longer.

He doesn't want to look weak, he thought. This is old Naruto trying to prove that he's strong.

Typical.

"Why are you up?" he asked, his voice sharper than he meant for it to be.

"Why were you out there?" Naruto countered, matching his tone.

Sasuke was momentarily taken aback. "What're you talking about?"

"When you.. found me. That's the closest you've been to the Hidden Leaf since you left." Cerulean eyes narrowed. "Why were you there?"

Sasuke just stared at him, keeping his face neutral and guarded.

New Naruto is definitely not as dense as Old Naruto was.

He narrowed his eyes. "Are you implying something, Naruto?"

The blonde took a stiff step towards him, trying to hide the pain- though as usual his eyes betrayed him. "What are you planning, Sasuke?"

"Nothing that you need to concern yourself with."

"The Hidden Leaf is my concern!" Naruto shouted, his voice strained but adamant. "And if you mean to hurt it, I'm the one who will protect it."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "You?" He took a menacing step towards the blonde, but he didn't even blink. He stepped closer and pushed lightly against his shoulder. "You can barely stand."

Unsatisfied with his lack of reaction, Sasuke leaned close to murmur in his ear, watching Naruto's face out of the corner of his eye. "What makes you think you can protect the village? You can't even protect yourself?"

It was a low blow, and he knew it the moment he said it. Naruto's stricken face said it all. He tried to harden it again, but something had shattered behind those huge blue eyes. Sasuke felt guilt stirring through him, which angered him. He had trained all feelings away. He was a Uchiha, and he had a mission. He couldn't let Naruto's feelings, or my feelings for Naruto, get in the way.

Naruto dropped his head, hiding his pained eyes behind long blonde hair. "Why..?" his voice was low as he struggled to keep his emotions in check.

"You don't know anything about your precious Hidden Leaf, Naruto" he spat out, "The truth is the village deserves what it has coming!"

"Itachi didn't save it just to have his brother destroy it."

Sasuke grabbed him and roughly shoved him against the wall. "What the fuck do you know!?" he screamed. He pulled Naruto close and then slammed him against the wall again, ignoring his groans of pain. "You don't know anything about Itachi! You have no fucking right to tell me what he wanted!"

Naruto lifted his head. "He told me, Sasuke. And he knew you wouldn't believe me. He planned on it."

The Uchiha stared at him, confusion flitting in his eyes. What the hell is he talking about?

Naruto suddenly grabbed his face, looked deep into his sharingan, and whispered "Kotoamatsukami". Or tried to. He managed to get out about half out before Sasuke slammed a hand over his mouth, stifling the rest.

"Two can play that game." Sasuke leaned in, a vicious sneer on his face as he murmured, "Mangekyou Sharingan."

Naruto's screamed protest was muffled behind Sasuke's hand, which pressed tighter against his mouth- cutting off even that. He felt himself being pulled into an illusion, and didn't have the strength to stop it. Naruto blinked and suddenly he was in the woods, standing in a clearing, facing off against the person he once thought of as a friend. But now.. now he wasn't so sure.

"Sasuke, st- stop this." He tried to make his voice sound strong, but it came out weak and pathetic even to his own ears.

The Uchiha stepped away from the tree line and moved towards him. He stopped and held a handout. "Show me when you were with Itachi."

A memory of a fight Naruto had with the Uchiha flew forward and out in front of both of them to witness. Sasuke felt a twinge of pain seeing his brother's face, knowing now who he really was, and that it was too late. "Is this it?"

Naruto shook his head.

It took a few more tries before they found the right one. Sasuke was surprised how many times Naruto had actually come in contact with Itachi. One more thing you don't know about this Naruto.

Sasuke watched as Itachi questioned Naruto in the woods. He wanted to know what he would do if the Leaf wanted to kill Sasuke. Sasuke wasn't surprised to hear Naruto say that he'd save his friend and the village. Typical Old Naruto mindset- always assuming he can save everyone.

That he won't have to make a difficult choice.

What did surprise him was Itachi's reaction. He watched as his brother gave a small smile and sent a crow to-

It.. it went in Naruto's fucking mouth!! What?!

Sasuke looked past the memory playing out to see the actual Naruto on the other side of the clearing. "What is this?"

Naruto met his gaze. "This is what happened, Sasuke. And that" he looked pointedly at the crow forcing its way down Naruto's throat, "that was a message". The blonde moved around the image and walked up to him. "Sasuke, I'm telling you the truth. Itachi-"

"Shut up. Shut up! SHUT UP!!"

Sasuke grabbed his face and jerked it towards him. "Show me what happened at the canyon!" he screamed.

Naruto felt a rush of horror and fear jolt through him. "NO!! Sasuke, don't!!"

"Show me!" he demanded.

Naruto gritted his teeth as he tried to force the memories away. No, no please. I can't relive it. I can't. And in front of Sasuke..

Please, god- make it stop!

But the horrible memory of that day already began, starting with Nagato explaining that the Pains should be gone after Naruto defeated them, but one was seeking revenge. Sasuke was shocked to hear that Naruto had destroyed the Six Paths of Pain on his own, new Naruto is a lot stronger too, and he was curious to know more about the Pain that returned.

"He wants to take something.. precious from you.."

Then the memory changed, and Naruto was in the canyon confronting Deva Pain. "What did you do to Sasuke?!"

He thought the something precious being taken from him was.. me?

He looked over at the real Naruto and saw tears streaming down his face. His eyes were closed, his hands pushed together. He was trying to break out of the illusion. More guilt. Sasuke wanted to know what happened, and he wanted to punish the blonde for bringing up Itachi, but.. every time Pain said anything in the memory, real Naruto flinched like he was struck. His hands were shaking..

He was terrified.

Don't break what's left of Old Naruto.

He looked over his shoulder in time to see a chakra rod stab through Naruto's hands before he released the Mangekyou. The illusion instantly disappeared, but he could still hear Naruto's screams.

They were back in the kitchen- Naruto shoved up against the wall, Sasuke pressed close against him, his hand clapped firmly over his mouth. A sudden sharp pain drew Sasuke's attention down to his stomach. Blood. He dropped his hand away from Naruto's mouth and took a step back, staring down at the patch of red spreading across his shirt. He looked back at Naruto, at the bloody kunai clenched tight in his fist.

"You fucking stabbed me?"

"Never.. again..." Naruto spun the kunai and held it firmly in his hand as he stepped forward. "Never again.."

He turned the blade back towards himself and brought his arm down fast, ready to drive it into his chest. Sasuke's hand shot out and grabbed hold of his wrist, forcing him to stop.

"Naruto!" He glared at him, his eyes burning. He was fucking livid. He wanted to beat the shit out of him the minute he saw Naruto turn his kunai against himself. But before he could shout at the blonde or punch him until his brain made sense again, Naruto collapsed. Sasuke screamed out in frustration and threw the kunai across the room. He heard a heavy thwunk as it pierced through the cabin wall.

"Dammit, Naruto.."

Sasuke ran his fingers through his hair and felt his shoulders slump under the weight of just.. all of it. He bit his lip against the sudden onslaught of emotions rushing through him.

What the hell did Pain do to you..? Why would it make you want to do this?

"Naruto.."

I can't let anyone take you away from me, he thought, bending down to pull his listless blonde into his arms.

Not even you.