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.

Author Note: Forewarning- I wrote this chapter while listening to an odd combination of Beethoven, Kygo, and the iPhone ringtone 'Unfold' on repeat for several hours. Plum wine may or may not have also played a key role. If it seems a bit scatter-brained, I blame the ringtone. And only the ringtone.

Ahem. Right. Anywho….

Happy Reading!~

It's All In Your Head

Chapter 89: Shatter

--

A comforting darkness enveloped Itachi, devouring him before he could even think to fight it. The last thing he remembered doing was releasing the Mangekyou and yanking Naruto into his arms, kissing him with all of the passion he knew he'd refuse to return. It clouded the raven's thoughts and made quick work of his guilt before his mind slipped away from him entirely.

He wasn't exactly sure how long he was gone or what it was that eventually brought his mind back. One moment he was fading away losing himself in Naruto, losing himself period, and the next he was suddenly standing in the kitchen getting an elbow rammed in his face.

Itachi was surprised to find that it had little affect on him. Mostly he was just irritated that Naruto would dare to do such a thing. Sure, he had overstepped and who knew what his alter ego had tried while he was gone, but he was still Itachi Uchiha after all.

And Naruto knew better than to provoke him.

The blonde screamed in his fury and Itachi smashed his lips over his again, trapping the rest of Naruto's curses and endeavors behind his teeth. He wrapped his arms around him, pulling him to his chest once more, ignoring the little voice in his head telling him to stop. Itachi shifted closer, relishing in the feel of him, in the control he had regained.

Briefly.

Unfortunately, Itachi's conscience had returned with his consciousness. He just couldn't enjoy it the way he would have liked to. Not when Naruto was so determined to make him stop.

Back to seeing reason and reality, Itachi finally pulled back. He grabbed Naruto's arms and jerked him away from him, putting some much-needed space between them. He squeezed down hard, his grip like iron as he shoved Naruto against the kitchen counter, forcing himself to keep him there. Itachi kept his eyes averted as he resisted the urge to reel him back in, silent as he pondered what he should do next.

Naruto's own silence lasted another few seconds before the words spilled out of him with a sudden vengeance.

"If you don't let me go, you'll regret it."

Itachi looked up and gave him a dark look.

"I know you mean to concern me, Naruto, but it honestly just sounds inticing at this point."

Naruto paled.

"If you really want me to back off" Itachi growled, "try saying less."

Naruto clenched his jaw tight, keeping his sharp tongue stowed away inside. He wanted nothing more than to tell the Uchiha to go fuck himsef, but it wasn't wise to push him when he was already in this state. He had learned that the hard way. Many times, in fact. And not just with this Uchiha.

Naruto's gaze fell to one of the hands still latched onto his arm and watched as it slowly slipped away from him. He waited a beat before looking back up. Itachi was still staring at him, his eyes burning with impatience and unmistakable desire.

Naruto shuddered.

"I won't let you do this."

He was fully aware that he was better off just keeping his head down and staying quiet. It was stupid to antagonize a man like Itachi, but he was just so fucking tired of being the victim. He was terrified of having the other Itachi reappear, horrified of what he might do to him, but he just couldn't stand playing along anymore.

He was done being so goddamn weak and pathetic. Naruto Uzumaki was better than this. The chakra collar, the barrier- yeah, it sucked- but it wasn't going to stop him. Naruto would do everything in his power to fight back, to stop both Itachis.

Or die trying.

--

Naruto managed to avoid Itachi for the rest of the day after their uncomfortable interaction and was relieved that his warden had accepted it. He still kept his guard up that night, fully expecting one of the Itachi personas to try something, so he didn't get much sleep, but it was still far better than the alternative.

Naruto tossed, turned, and accepted defeat as he waited for another miserable day to begin. When he heard birds incessantly chirping outside, announcing the rising sun, he decided to slip free of his room. He hoped to continue to avoid Itachi, but running into him in the main room was still better than being cornered in the bedroom.

He didn't want to stay in there any longer than he had to.

Naruto pushed himself up off the floor, having favored it over being in a bed since day one. He stretched the kinks out of his muscles and rubbed the remnants of sleep from his eyes before collecting the comforter and pillow he had pulled down with him. He deposited both back onto the bed then quietly slipped out of the room. He glanced around, half expecting to find Itachi waiting for him in the dim hallway, but so far the place was left empty and undisturbed.

Another relief.

Naruto soundlessly padded over to the bathroom, careful to avoid the creaky floorboards he had come to know. He hurriedly slipped inside and closed the door, clicking the lock over the second it snapped shut.

Naruto stared at the lock, making absolutely certain that he was sealed away behind it before he finally released the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. It was the only place in Itachi's cabin that was safe- the only door with a lock. Naruto was often tempted to just barricade himself in the bathroom, but he knew Itachi could easily knock the door down if he tried. And if that happened, Naruto would lose the one safe place he had left. It just wasn't worth the risk.

The blonde pushed the useless thoughts away and cleared his mind as he washed up. He finished his morning routine quickly then paused to look at his reflection in the small mirror above the sink.

You look like shit.

His eyes were dark, ringed in deep shadow. Whatever light used to flicker inside had long since been extinguished, leaving his eyes dull, lifeless. They were sunken back, as if they were also trying to escape the hell they found themselves in. Naruto also realized that he looked thinner, paler as he scrutinized his image. You'd have thought he's been here for months instead of his one very long week of captivity.

It was a pitiful sight.

Naruto left his hair disheveled, his expression flat, and turned away from his tired reflection. He reached for the door, prepared to unlock it, then paused.

Sasuke..?

Naruto held his breath as he silently pleaded with the universe, wanting nothing more than to hear his boyfriend's voice in his head. Naruto had been so against it before, frustrated with the bastard for his callous thoughts, but none of that shit mattered anymore. He wanted to hear Sasuke again- his worries and taunts and questions rattling off in his head with no foreseeable end. He wanted to know that he was close enough to hear him, that he would be able to break through the barrier and finally take him away from this god-awful place.

But there was nothing.

No answer.

No voice.

The only thoughts in Naruto's head were his own.

Naruto roughly dragged his fingers through his hair as he forced back sudden unwanted tears. He swallowed hard, then let his head fall forward, dropping his forehead against the door.

"Come on, Sasuke" he whispered.

"Where the hell are you.."

--

"Where the hell are we?!"

Pakkun glanced over at the irate raven before turning his focus back to his master, the only person he actually answered to.

"Impudent pup" the Ninken muttered, nodding to the fuming Uchiha behind him.

"Oh, so you've noticed that too?" Kakashi said lightly.

Sasuke was less than amused. But before he could make his displeasure known to the group, Pakkun finally gave a piece of useful information.

"They were here."

Sasuke spun around to stare at the small dog, eyes wide. "Recently?"

"It seems like they stopped here only briefly. The scent goes further. It was likely used as a place to rest and treat Naruto's wounds before moving on."

"But they were here" Sasuke said hurriedly, desperate for some sort of reassurance that they were at least on the right trail. That they were getting closer to finding Naruto.

"Yes" Pakkun answered. "I'm sure of it."

Sasuke leapt past the group and quickly scoured through the small shack, searching for any signs of his blonde. Anything to let him know what happened, if he was ok, where else he could have been taken. But there was nothing. Aside from the scent that Pakkun had inexplicably been able to pick up, there wasn't a single trace of him.

Of either of them.

Naruto?! Naruto, can you hear me?

Again, nothing.

Sasuke had been calling out to Naruto constantly ever since he disappeared, hopeful that his blonde would eventually hear his voice in his head. But so far he's only been left with his own defeated thoughts and the horrible silence of his unanswered calls.

Sasuke forced back a rush of tears he had no intention of releasing, then leapt back to the team. "Let's keep moving. We have to be getting close."

The others silently nodded as they channeled chakra to their legs, prepared to leap through trees as fast as possible. Because, as they have reminded the raven time and time again, Sasuke wasn't the only one who was anxious to find Naruto. And that anxiety was quickly becoming a desperate panic- for all of them.

No one said as much, but all four had already come to the decision that they wouldn't be stopping today. They would run- all day, all night if they had to.

They weren't going to stop.

Not until Naruto was found.

Not until he was safe.

--

Naruto made his way into the kitchen and was pleased to find it Uchiha-free. He would usually just drink some water and then find a corner to curl up and disappear into. He'd tuck himself away, wishing the drywall would show a little goddamn compassion and pull him inside.

Of course it wouldn't, and Itachi would inevitably walk over to him. He would try to engage in some sort of interaction with the blonde, one that often failed as Naruto would avoid talking as much as possible. Itachi would eventually sigh and give up for a while, and Naruto would slip away to find another quiet corner to escape to.

But today he decided to do things a little differently.

Naruto was fucking exhausted- the lack of sleep was catching up to him fast. But he was also determined to keep his wits about him, to be prepared to fight Itachi off if he had to. And if he was going to be ready for something like that, he'd need a bit of energy.

Naruto searched through cabinets, trying his best not to make too much noise as he shuffled through things until he found what he was looking for.

Well look at that.

Finally, something goes my way.

Naruto pulled down the canister of coffee and carried it over to the sink. He plugged in the small coffeemaker he had found earlier and shoveled a heap of ground coffee beans into it, relishing in the bittersweet smell that suddenly permeated the space around him. He added enough water for a second round incase the first proved not to be strong enough for him, then crossed his fingers and pressed the button.

He had hoped that it wouldn't make too much noise, but of course the thing sounded like an old sputtering truck and immediately drew his warden straight to him.

Fantastic.

Itachi wordlessly stepped into the kitchen and stopped directly across from him. Naruto resisted looking over at first, but the silence was making him nervous. He took a calming breath and glanced over to find the Uchiha leaning casually against the counter, a brow quirked, an amused smile lifting the corner of his mouth. He looked so much like his old self that it actually startled Naruto.

Every time he expected one version of Itachi, he would get someone entirely different. It was disconcerting, and increasingly more difficult to get a firm grasp on.

Not sure how to react to that look, how to react to him at all, Naruto simply crossed his arms and gave the Uchiha an impatient look back. "Yes?"

"Making yourself at home?" Itachi said lightly.

"I wouldn't say that."

"Well, this is the second hideout we've been in together and I've never seen you make coffee."

Naruto froze.

Shit.

This might have been a mistake.

When things were different from their past, Itachi's true self tended to fade away. And when it did, his alter ego would slip in to take his place. The version of Itachi who had no problem pinning Naruto down, assaulting him. The one who had completely convinced himself that it was what Naruto wanted.

Someone Naruto hoped never to face again.

"I went in the kitchen all the time back then too. This isn't anything new" Naruto argued, hoping to keep Itachi's current mental state intact.

Itachi's brows furrowed. He was clearly confused by Naruto's reaction, his sudden defensiveness, but decided not to pursue the matter.

"Right.."

Itachi reached past the blonde, his smile slipping when he saw him flinch at his closeness.

Something else he chose not to comment on.

Itachi opened a cabinet above his head, grabbed two large porcelain mugs, and placed them on the counter.

"Go sit down" he muttered. "I'll bring it to you when it's done."

"I don't need your help."

Itachi narrowed his eyes. "You shouldn't be using your hands like this. You're going to break your stitches open again."

"Wouldn't be a problem if you let the Kyuubi heal them."

Naruto was pretty sure that Itachi didn't know Kurama's name and honestly saw no reason to inform him. He already knew that he wouldn't give him access to the Nine Tails, why share more than was necessary?

Itachi took a step towards him, his expression dark. "That isn't up for debate, Naruto."

While Naruto was tired of being obedient to the guy, he also had to be smart about which battles he was going to lean into. And this one just wasn't worth it. So with one last combative look, Naruto turned away from the raven and stomped over to the dining table. He threw himself down on a chair and glared over at him.

"Happy?"

"Has that ever mattered before?"

Itachi didn't wait for a response, and Naruto didn't give him one. The raven turned his back to him as he prepared their coffees, and Naruto switched to fumbling with his fingers. He could feel a familiar anxiety brewing inside as he eyed the raven, and for a moment he wondered which Itachi he'd find bringing him his coffee. Would the original manage to stay that long, or would Naruto be coming face to face with Itachi's unhinged doppelgänger?

The concern stayed until Itachi quietly placed the mug before the equally quiet blonde- a pretty clear sign that the Itachi in front of him was the real thing. Especially when he did so without touching him.

Another small but noteworthy solace.

Itachi took a seat beside his prisoner, his own cup in hand, and drank deeply from it before placing it on the table. He looked over at Naruto's bandaged hands, watching his fingertips twist together in his nervousness.

It bothered him immensely to see it.

Itachi reached over and gently covered both of Naruto's jittery hands with one of his own. "I wish you weren't so nervous around me."

Naruto warily eyed the hand stilling his own.

"Yeah, well, I wish you stopped giving me a reason to be."

He pulled his hands free, and Itachi let him.

"I can help you with that" the raven murmured, motioning to the steaming cup in front of him.

Naruto gave him a sharp look, one that sent his blood boiling. Itachi never did well with Naruto's attitude in the past, and his tolerance for it now wasn't any better. Naruto must have noticed the fire in his eyes, because he quickly doused the one in his own. It was far too early to already start provoking him.

"I'm capable of doing things on my own" he muttered, reaching for the cup in question.

"I'm aware."

Naruto carefully drank from his cup, avoiding the Uchiha's watchful gaze in the process, then placed it back on the table with a heavy sigh. "Aren't you tired of this yet?"

"Of being with you? Not at all."

Naruto paled. "Aren't you sick of hearing how much I want to leave?"

Itachi dropped an elbow on the table and his head in his hand as he studied the blonde closely. Long ebony strands slipped across his pallid face, swaying gently across his temple, his cheekbone, framing his dark eyes, drawing Naruto straight to them- just another pitiful fly in a well-woven web.

And this particular fly wasn't pleased by what he found.

The look on his face, the gleam in his eyes, was nothing short of desire. Meant for him and him alone.

Naruto's stomach twisted into tight mangled knots, sickened by the thought. By the look. This wasn't the Itachi puppet Kabuto had created, but the way he looked at him… it was beginning to be one and the same.

He's changing..

The realization made his blood run cold.

I knew it. I knew that if Itachi found out, if he knew what the other Itachi was doing, he would-

"I would love nothing more than for you to want to stay."

Naruto flinched. He had been so caught up in his own thoughts that he'd completely forgotten what he had said. At first he thought Itachi was responding to what he had been thinking and wondered if he'd unintentionally said it out loud. Then it all came flying back.

I asked him if he was tired of hearing that I want to leave. That's what he's talking about.

Fuck, for a second there I thought he could hear my thoughts too.

Itachi was clearly waiting for his reply, likely hoping for something he could use as some semblance of reassurance or twist to fit his growing delusions, but Naruto wasn't interested in being part of that. He decided to steer the conversation down a different route.

"You said you care about Sasuke" he reminded him. "That you wanted me to be happy with him. That you were just jealous of what we had."

Naruto clenched his fists hard, stretching the stitches taut across his palm as all of it came rushing back, as his anger skyrocketed. He could feel it pulse in his temple, behind his eyes, and this time he didn't bother holding it back.

Naruto leapt to his feet and fueled by his sudden rage threw his arm out, sending his coffee mug flying. It crashed against the wall, shattering and dropping to its final demise in a heap of porcelain on the floor.

"Did you mean any of it?!!" he screamed. "Or was everything just a fucking game to you!!"

Itachi shot to his feet and grabbed a fistful of Naruto's shirt, yanking him towards him.

"I'd learn to hold that tongue, Naruto, or I might be tempted to do it for you."

It was wise advice, probably worth listening to, but he just couldn't. Naruto didn't know how to control the raging fire in him, and truthfully he didn't want to.

He wanted to burn the bastard.

"Every time I think you might have a heart, that you actually care about someone besides yourself, you prove me wrong" Naruto snarled. "You're nothing but a fucking corpse."

Red bled into those dark eyes, but Naruto wasn't done. He met his glare with one of his own.

"You should have stayed dead."

Itachi released his shirt and punched him across the face, sending the blonde reeling. He dropped to the floor hard, his cheek slamming against the floorboard when he failed to catch himself.

"Nghn.."

Ok, that hurt.

Naruto prodded the inside of his cheek with his tongue. He could taste blood.

Still worth it.

Naruto lightly pressed the back of his hand against his cheek as he sat up on the floor. His long hair kept his eyes concealed, and he kept his head down to hide the rest. He wouldn't give Itachi the satisfaction.

Itachi, however, wasn't interested in letting the blonde shut down. He was just as angry, maybe more so, and he wasn't done quite yet. Itachi marched over, grabbed Naruto by the arm, and roughly dragged him over to the broken remnants of his coffee cup- the one he had sent flying in his rage. He threw him down at his feet, inches from the shattered mug.

"Clean this up."

Naruto gritted his teeth together and spun back to glare at him. "Fuck you."

Itachi grabbed a fistful of blonde locks and jerked his head back.

"Nnghn.."

"Hate me. Curse at me. Break everything in this place- it won't change anything."

Itachi's fist twisted in his hair, forcing out another pained gasp.

"I was a fool to think my kindness meant anything to you."

"Wh-what kindness? I'm your prisoner" Naruto spat back.

"I'm close to making you more."

Naruto's sneer faltered.

More.

"Maybe you're right, Naruto. Maybe I should have stayed dead. Or maybe.." His eyes roamed over the blonde in his grasp, "maybe I should have taken what I wanted a long time ago."

Itachi saw his dark reflection in those widening blues, an ominous shadow cast in his fearful stare. And as he leaned closer, he watched that shadow slip across his irises, slowly consuming them.

Claiming them.

"You should have played nice when you had the chance, Naruto.."

Then Itachi threw him down and abruptly walked away, leaving his prisoner to tremble in fear in front of the mess he'd made for himself.

--

Naruto stared down at the jagged shards of porcelain on the floor, feeling his own chipped exterior shatter all around him. What was I thinking..?

He wanted to fight back, to stop being the obedient little victim he always seemed to have to revert back to, but that didn't mean he should be antagonizing Itachi Uchiha's fucking corpse!

What the hell was I thinking??

Naruto gnawed at his bottom lip as he went over the morning that he had effectively ruined. He wanted to show Itachi that he wouldn't just sit back and accept this, that it wasn't worth keeping him here, but that isn't how any of that came across. Itachi merely saw a challenge, an opportunity to break him of his noncompliance.

With a working Mangekyou and powerful libido, it wasn't difficult to figure out how he might go about doing that.

Naruto ran his fingertips over the edge of a piece of porcelain. He was surprised by how sharp it was. If he had pressed down any harder he would have drawn blood…

Naruto eyed the shard a moment longer as an idea began to form. He glanced around to make sure he was still alone, then carefully tucked the largest piece into his pocket. Luckily his borrowed sweatpants were long and baggy with deep pockets- you couldn't even tell he had something hidden inside.

Itachi would never know.

Naruto cautiously, and with some difficulty, picked up the remaining pieces. He carried them over to the trash can in his bandaged hands and audibly dumped them inside- ensuring that Itachi would know he had disposed of them.

Once he closed the lid, Naruto made his way back to the table and took a seat. He leaned back, a hint of a satisfied smile on his face- though it didn't quite reach his eyes. It was an unsettling look meant for him and him alone. One that alluded to a plan. And to a rather dark promise he made to himself if that plan happened to fail.

I won't let the past repeat itself, Naruto thought, his fingers lightly tracing the roughly hewn table directly above the makeshift weapon in his pocket.

Not this time.