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

Warnings: This story includes strong language, violence, sexual assault, torture, sexual content (yaoi), & angst.

It's All In Your Head

Chapter 77: Weaken

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Itachi stepped closer and Naruto hurriedly scrambled back. He could feel a trail of blood slip down his face from where it had collided with the floor but ignored it. His hands were already plenty busy fighting to pull him across the dank cellar. Besides, he couldn't afford to be distracted by anything right now. Not with Itachi advancing on him like this.

His feelings towards him had been complicated before, but it didn't erase the cruelty he had inflicted. And there was something in his eyes that seemed.. off. This wasn't the same Itachi who had shared their tender, most intimate moments together with his last breath. He couldn't see any trace of that man in those eyes. No- those were the eyes of the man who had tormented his mind in the Mangekyou. Who had tried to.. to rape him.

This wasn't someone he could trust.

Naruto's nervous blues darted between the daunting Uchiha, the observant snake, and the dark space around them. He considered rushing for the tunnel Itachi had come out of, but he hadn't seen how he sealed it and had no idea how to reopen it. If he tried to do it now, he'd have his back turned and be left completely vulnerable. Which was not something he could afford to do right now, judging by the looks on both of their faces.

So what the fuck am I supposed to do??

Itachi took another step towards him, and a cold tendril of fear slipped down Naruto's spine. He kept scooting back but he knew there would be a point where he couldn't, and the thought terrified him.

Despite how cold he seemed Itachi didn't look amused by Naruto's fear the way Kabuto was. Rather, he appeared to be heavily preoccupied just drinking in the sight of him. Those blood-red eyes stalked every movement, every expression, with a fierce focus and an insatiable hunger. It made his unceasing prowl towards him all the more terrifying.

Naruto involuntarily gasped as his back hit the wall and the raven moved fast to close the distance. In the blink of an eye Itachi was standing over him, studying him. He watched the anxious blonde look up at him with clear distrust on a face that, despite two years having gone by, hadn't seemed to change. Itachi eyed the same worry lines furrowed above Naruto's brow, noticed the tension in his jaw and that stubborn resolve hardening in his eyes.

Piercing blue eyes..

And the fullness of his lips.

Naruto saw Itachi's eyes linger on his mouth, and his fear skyrocketed. He didn't know what they had planned, but he knew what Itachi wanted from him in the end. And he was no fool. The way he looked at him now was no different than it was before. If anything..

If anything it was worse.

Itachi knelt before him, and Naruto quickly pulled his legs close to his chest. He shrank away from the hand reaching toward him and held his breath as he pleaded with the universe.

Please don't. Please don't. Please don't.

Please-

"Don't.."

Itachi's hand froze halfway between them. Naruto eyed it warily, then looked back at a face he had tried so hard not to think about. One that Kakashi and Sasuke had thrown back into his mind so callously. One that Kabuto had inexplicably brought back.

He still didn't want him in his head, but it was hard to forget his past when it was in his face staring back at him.

Especially with a look like that.

One that forced every memory shared between them to come rushing back. Every time that Itachi held him, threw him down, smoothed back his hair, threatened him, whispered sweet words or conjured up haunting nightmares.

Naruto remembered all of it- suddenly, violently. And he didn't want any of it.

He could feel a scream rising in his chest, just as desperate to break free as he was, and he was tempted to let it. To see the shock in their eyes as he threw his head back and screamed out all of his anguish. But like so many other chances he had to act, he didn't.

And he hated himself for it.

Itachi watched the blonde's conflicting emotions play out before moving his hand once more. He slid long pale fingers down his face, enjoying the feel of him, but Naruto's hand shot out fast to stop him. He grabbed his wrist, forcing his hand to stop as he jerked away from him.

"Don't touch me."

Itachi didn't bother to try to free the hand Naruto kept a firm grasp on. He simply used the other to ignore his request. He slid his hand across a soft whiskered cheek before slipping it into unruly blonde locks.

Naruto could feel his entire body tense up as Itachi's hand sank deep into his hair, urging him forward. He tried to pull away, but Itachi's grip was insistent. He wrapped one strong hand around the back of his head and forced him even closer. Naruto threw an arm out between them, trying to keep the Uchiha at bay, and Itachi eyed it like he had never seen it before.

"There's no need for that" he said smoothly. "Or did you forget what I showed you last time?"

Naruto flinched and those crimson eyes narrowed.

Kabuto grinned at the display, one he had not anticipated. Though it did give him some ideas. He took a step towards the pair, his grin widening. "My.. now this is interesting."

The blonde flinched again. He had been so caught up in keeping Itachi away that he had completely forgotten about the snake lurking in the shadows watching all of it. The thought made his stomach coil into sickeningly tight knots. He looked past the hovering Uchiha and over to the man studying them, uneasy about what he might see.

Kabuto's glasses gleamed with the minuscule light around them, a glow caught in glass webs above a jagged grin. Naruto could see his excitement growing and got a horrible feeling that he had just given him another means to torment him by. One that Naruto should have kept hidden for as long as he could.

He probably brought Itachi because he thought he used the Mangekyou to torture me the way he has with everyone else, Naruto thought.

He glanced back at the Uchiha, at his heavy onyx stare. Kabuto had no idea what Itachi was actually after.

But he knows now.

Naruto's blood ran cold at the thought. He turned his focus back to the snake, wondering what he would do now, how far he would let this go. Kabuto shifted and the brilliance obscuring his eyes fled. Naruto met his curious gaze, hatred brimming in his own. He wouldn't wait to hear more threats, more grotesque remarks. For now, he would look for answers. Maybe then he'd be able to find a way to stop him.

"Why are you doing this, Kabuto? What do you want?"

The snake tilted his head as he continued to study the blonde. "Aren't you at all curious to know how I did it?"

"Not as curious as I am to know why" Naruto muttered. "What are you planning?"

He was terrified to actually hear his answer, but it might be better that way. His imagination was already conjuring up a number of horrific things. It would be a relief if he found out that what Kabuto had in mind was no where near as bad as what Naruto was dreading.

"Ah ah- that would spoil all the fun. I'd rather see you try to figure out how Itachi is here in the first place."

Naruto's brows furrowed. "Is-" he looked back at the Uchiha, "is this an illusion..?"

"No illusion" Kabuto boasted. "He really is here. Thanks to me."

Naruto shook his head. "That doesn't make sense." He met those frightening red pools and watched as they slowly faded to black. It did little to lessen their intensity, nor Naruto's fear of what lay hidden beneath it.

"How are you still alive?" he said weakly. "I.. I saw you die.."

Itachi leaned in. "I did" he murmured, his breath tracing against Naruto's bottom lip. "But I'm here now."

Naruto slammed a hand over his mouth, warding off his advances. "Stop."

"I have to admit" Kabuto cut in, "I am surprised to see you like this, Itachi. Though that may have to do with the resurrection jutsu I used."

Naruto gave him a surprised look. Resurrection jutsu? "What are you talking about?"

"I'm impatient, and you were never going to guess right. I don't really care to explain my process to you, honestly I don't think you would comprehend most of it-"

Naruto's eyes flashed with annoyance, but Kabuto ignored it.

"Long story short, my dear jinchuriki, I spent years perfecting a jutsu that would allow me to resurrect the dead. I offer a body and a part of what you consider the "soul" manifests and contorts it to match its original form. Not an easy task, and not a perfect science I'm afraid."

"Meaning..?"

"Not all of him came back."

Cerulean eyes widened. "Which parts didn't come back..?"

"I'm sure you'll find that out as you spend more time together."

Naruto paled. He didn't like the sound of that. "Why Itachi?" he murmured. "You could have brought back-"

"Orochimaru?" Kabuto smiled, a wicked humorless smile. "No, I'm done being subservient to others. This time I'm the one who has control. Over him. Over you."

"What are you trying to gain from that control?" Naruto asked.

Another thought occurred to him. "Is this really about me, Kabuto, or are you just trying to prove something to yourself?"

The silver-haired snake tilted his head, his amusement palpable. "You really are an interesting one, Naruto. Curious to a fault."

Kabuto reached into his pocket for something, but Naruto couldn't make out what he was doing.

"Itachi" he said, his voice strong and commanding.

Charcoal eyes went blank, utterly lifeless as Kabuto addressed him. Naruto didn't know what to make of it, but he had a feeling it wasn't anything good.

"Bind Naruto to the cot."

Naruto's eyes shot over to the far side of the cellar, where he could barely make out the outline of several large rectangular structures in the darkness, then back to the blank eyed Uchiha.

No..

He shoved him back and tried to run, but Itachi moved fast. He grabbed him around the waist and yanked him back against his chest, his arms tightening around him.

"No! NO!! Let go of me!"

He tried to break free but Itachi's grip was like iron. And no matter how much he clawed and kicked at him, he refused to release him. In fact, he didn't even flinch. Like he couldn't feel any of it.

Like nothing Naruto did could stop him.

"St-stop! Stop!! Don't!"

He continued to fight and scream as he was dragged across the cellar and into the impending darkness. Itachi hoisted him up in his arms, just like he did all those years ago, and dropped him down on a cot. Naruto fought to get off of it and Kabuto shot out another order.

"Punch him."

Itachi's fist slammed into the side of his face and Naruto's head snapped violently to the side. His wrist was jerked down before he could react, and a thick leather binding was quickly fastened to it. Naruto tried to break free but failed in his attempts. His other wrist was quickly tied down, then Itachi moved to his ankles to do the same.

"D-don't! Itachi, please stop!"

Naruto kicked out, but he grabbed his leg and held it still. Blank eyes met his for the briefest of moments and for a second Naruto thought some of Itachi's conscience had returned. That the man who cared about him, who wanted him to be happy, was still in there. But Kabuto ordered him to finish what he started and whatever might have been there was once again lost.

Naruto bucked against his restraints and screamed every vile thing he could think of, but all of it was useless. Kabuto had him completely vulnerable, and nothing he said or did was going to stop it.

The snake casually walked up to them, flicking on a light as he did. It's sudden piercing glow temporarily blinded the blonde, and he didn't see Kabuto move to a table. Nor did he see the syringe and the vial he used to fill it.

When his vision finally cleared Kabuto was standing next to him, his hand roughly forcing his head to the side.

"What- what are you doing?!" Naruto shrieked.

Kabuto let his fear wash over him, relishing in it. Then, without warning, he stabbed the syringe into the blonde's exposed neck and shoved the plunger down.

"Nnnn!"

Naruto screwed his eyes up tight as thick liquid filled his veins and a thin trail of blood slid down his neck. His heart slammed in his chest and another pained groan slipped from his lips as Kabuto yanked the syringe back out.

It didn't take long for the concoction to start working. Kabuto could see the fight in the blonde quickly melting away. His hands fell heavy against his restraints, his breathing slowed, and his eyes fluttered as he fought to stay awake.

"Wh-what.. did you do.. to.. me..." he breathed.

He felt so weak, so drained that he could barely form the words. His entire body felt unbelievably heavy. He tried to lift his head and it fell to the side, sending honey locks spilling across his face, shielding his dazed eyes.

"A partial sedative" Kabuto replied. "Enough to weaken you without putting you to sleep." Kabuto grabbed Naruto's chin and jerked his head up, forcing their eyes to meet.

"I want you awake for what's next."

Author Note:

Stephanie Yeager- you know me too well ;)