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 88: Watch
--
Naruto's fingers tapdanced in their bandages- a macabre little number bursting with anxiety. He tried to calm his trembling hands, his fluttering heart, but thinking about it only made things worse. The shaking in his fingertips quickly spread to his arms, and the violent organ continued to thrash around in his chest.
Naruto swallowed hard as the noises that first woke him grew more pronounced- light steps along the floorboards, the slow creak of the bedroom door. His breath latched firmly to the back of his throat as those horrifying sounds- and his unwanted guest- drew closer.
There was only one reason why Itachi would be sneaking into his room in the middle of the night like this.
Naruto didn't want to face it, didn't want to admit to himself what was happening, but he couldn't feign ignorance. He knew what Itachi wanted- or rather the Itachi puppet Kabuto had created. He meant to claim Naruto for himself. To assault him.
To.. rape him.
The truth of that drilled straight through his gut, leaving him utterly breathless. And that pain only worsened when he realized that there was little he could do to stop him.
Naruto still had the chakra collar secured tight around his throat, siphoning off his and Kurama's power. Using a jutsu to break free was clearly out of the question. And even if he managed to get past him, there was still the barrier to think about. He had no idea how to take it down. And while he was struggling to figure it out, it wouldn't take much for Itachi to corner him and just drag him back inside.
Hell, Naruto couldn't even heal himself. His hands were still torn apart after Kabuto stabbed those damn kunai through them. So both were pretty useless- all stitched up and heavily bandaged the way they were. Naruto still intended to fight obviously, but how could he possibly defeat Itachi like this?
What if I can't stop him this time? he thought, the words ricocheting through his skull with brute force.
What if he actually does-
Naruto heard the door close behind Itachi. Heard him step further into the room. He could already feel the unyielding stare firmly locked onto his body- undoubtedly drinking in the sight of him as he lie vulnerable on the floor. Likely thinking about everything he wanted to do to him.
It took everything in Naruto not to visibly recoil from it.
Please let me be wrong, he silently pleaded, desperation blooming in his chest.
Please, please, for the love of fucking god, let me be wrong.
He still had a tiny semblance of hope, though it was getting smaller by the second. Hope that the Uchiha moving towards him would turn out to be the real Itachi- the one with his conscience still left intact. That the hollow vessel Kabuto had brought back and roughly pieced together was still tucked away in the far recesses of Itachi's mind, safely out of reach. Naruto wanted so bad to believe it was true that he nearly convinced himself it was.
But Naruto was no fool.
The hand slipping into his hair, the man kneeling beside him, he knew exactly who he was.
And who he wasn't.
--
Two Days Earlier
--
Naruto moved around Itachi as if the man was an active grenade with a loose pin. Something he was terrified of jostling into for fear that it would go off and destroy everything in its path. He kept quiet, avoided as many interactions as he could, and flinched violently everytime Itachi was within arms' reach.
Itachi noticed the blonde's odd behavior immediately, how could he not, but he didn't comment on it. Not at first anyways.
Initially Itachi just assumed that he was acting that way because of the mistakes he'd made the first time he had taken Naruto prisoner. That the blonde continued to hold a grudge and, despite all of the good moments that they had shared, wanted nothing to do with him because of it. But as time went on, he began to rethink that.
There's something else going on here.
Something he isn't telling me.
Itachi thought about the way Naruto reacted when they were outside- the fear he saw in his eyes, his sudden desperation to talk about anything else. He recalled the way his hands had been wrapped around Naruto's body, forcing him close, his face closing in as if he meant to kiss him.
Itachi had no recollection of how he wound up that way, but he should. That wasn't something that just happened. He should know how they got there.
So why don't I?
He needed to find out, but part of him had to wonder if the truth was really worth knowing.
Itachi could still recall the look on Naruto's face when he had tried to ask him what he was hiding. There was something about it that kept him from prying further. Almost as if somewhere deep down Itachi knew that it was better for both of them if he didn't know.
So for a while he let it go.
He accepted the blonde's silence on the matter and chose to play along with it. But the more distant Naruto grew, the shorter Itachi's fuse became. His patience, his empathy, it was all fading fast. He could only take the blonde's nervous looks and short cryptic replies for so long.
He was tired of being left in the dark. Something was happening to him, and Naruto clearly knew what it was. It was about time he told him exactly what that was.
And while he was at it he could answer a few questions along the way. Like why he was keeping this shit from him in the first place. Or why Itachi seemed to be losing time, why things were happening that he couldn't recall ever doing. But mostly, Itachi wanted to know why Naruto was afraid of him again.
What the hell happened between us?
Itachi wasn't accustomed to just accepting ignorance, nor did he have any tolerance for deceit. He sought out answers, and did whatever it took to find them- no matter the cost.
And that is precisely what he intended on doing.
So, when Itachi stepped out of his bedroom that morning he did so with newfound purpose. He padded down the short hallway, his pace steady and sure as he stepped into the living room. He quickly spotted Naruto in the kitchen clumsily filling up a glass of water at the sink and headed straight towards him, his jaw set and eyes razor sharp.
No more secrets.
Naruto's stomach sank at the sound of his approach. He could hear the determination in those steps and knew that Itachi was prepared to confront him. Something the anxious blonde definitely wasn't looking forward to.
It was getting more difficult to keep the truth from him. Not to mention the constant challenge of keeping the Uchiha's delusional alter ego from reappearing. He would have preferred to continue avoiding the guy, but it looked like Itachi wasn't going to give him that option today.
Fuck.
Naruto carefully lifted the glass to his lips, tucked between both bandaged palms, and drank heavily from it as those footsteps drew closer. He swallowed the last of its contents, placed the cup on the counter, and turned around to face his warden. He cleared his throat and gave a nervous look as the raven stepped into the kitchen to join him.
"Ahem. Uhh.. morning" Naruto muttered, not sure what else to say. He was hoping it sounded casual, unconcerned, but could tell from the look on Itachi's face that it wasn't.
Well that didn't work.
Itachi narrowed his eyes as he came to a stop before him. He hated seeing that same worried look on the blonde's face, the distrust. He knew Naruto didn't want to be there, that he was for all intents and purposes his prisoner, but Itachi couldn't help but hope that he would come to accept him. That the feelings he had seen stir in the blonde two years ago would come back. But so far they hadn't. If anything, Naruto seemed to fear him even more now.
Dark eyes flashed with renewed anger, a spark of red flickering in their inky depths.
"It's time you tell me the truth, Naruto."
Naruto stared at him, his expression guarded though that same trepidation flickered in his eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"You have two choices" Itachi said, choosing to ignore the blatant lie. "You can tell me what it is you're hiding from me, or-"
Red slowly bled into his eyes.
"-I can find it myself."
Fresh panic flared to life as the reality of Naruto's situation slammed into him.
I'm fucked.
I am completely and totally fucked.
"Itachi, please" he breathed. "I- I can't.."
"Choose" the Uchiha said firmly, "or I'll choose for you."
Naruto tried to pull away from him, but Itachi slipped closer, bearing down on him.
"Please" Naruto pleaded, "if I tell you, you might not be able to come back from it. You might disappear altogether."
Itachi leaned in, his eyes locked on the blonde's worried gaze. "Looks like I have my answer."
Naruto slammed his eyes shut, but Itachi easily pryed one open, forcing him to meet his own blood-red stare.
"Mangekyou."
--
"How the fuck could they be this far away from Kabuto's hideout?!" Sasuke snapped at no one in particular.
Sai had finally learned what a rhetorical question was, so he kept quiet as Sasuke ranted, his large dark eyes tracking every movement as the raven paced before them. Kakashi and Obito merely exchanged a look before turning to their packs, storing away the rest of their supplies.
The four of them had been following Itachi's trail for two days now and still had yet to find where he was keeping Naruto. Pakkun seemed certain that he was still tracking his scent, but Sasuke was beginning to have his doubts. His reincarnated brother had taken Naruto out of Kabuto's underground lab- Kabuto's journals made that pretty clear- but he had no idea where he would have taken him. Likely he'd made his way to some other hideout or bunker, somewhere he could imprison Naruto all over again, but why would he go this far? They had already passed several places Itachi could have gone to, so why hadn't he?
Especially in Naruto's condition.
Sasuke wasn't exactly sure how injured he was, but there were enough clues in Kabuto's lab that told him he wasn't well. The device that damn snake used to brutally shock Naruto two years ago had clearly been used, likely to the extreme. And there had been blood and puncture marks in the cot next to the bindings that had likely restrained his hands to it.
Naruto was hurt. Sasuke didn't know how badly, but he was sure that the chakra collar was still keeping the Kyuubi from healing him. And as much as it disgusted him to think it, he could only hope that Itachi was seeing after his wounds.
After a few more explosive outbursts Sai stepped over to the distressed raven, worry written all over his usually expressionless face. "You're scared for him" he said quietly.
Sasuke glared at him, his temper rising. "Obviously I'm fucking scared!" he shouted. "Naruto is with Itachi. Who knows what he's doing to him!"
Kakashi flinched. He could still recall the broken look on Naruto's face when they had rescued him from Itachi two years ago. The way he had clung to him and sobbed after he had killed the man who had kidnapped and tormented him. Naruto never told Kakashi what happened between him and Itachi in that cabin, but Sasuke had given him a pretty clear idea when they had finally found the barrier surrounding them.
"Itachi is going to fucking rape him and we are just sitting here!"
Just the thought of that bastard putting his hands on Naruto like that made Kakashi's stomach churn and his anger surge. He would never be able to forgive himself if his decisions caused that kind of harm. If Naruto was assaulted, abused, because he had made him an easy target behind his barrier. He already felt horribly responsible for Kabuto taking him, for the torment he undoubtedly faced at his hands. If Naruto survived all of that only to be brutalized by someone else..
I already have so much to apologize for, Kakashi thought sadly. So much that I need to fix.
He swallowed hard.
What if he never forgives me?
Naruto had eventually forgiven Sasuke for everything he had done- for abandoning him, hurting him- but that didn't mean he'd do the same for Kakashi. Naruto was deeply in love with the Uchiha after all, always had been. And while Kakashi had been like a father to Naruto for years, that kind of love just wasn't the same.
What if he never wants to see me again?
Kakashi dropped his head as the weight of that thought crashed over him, and Obito noticed. The brunette glanced over at his dejected partner, concern etched between his brows. He scooted closer as they started to walk, leaning in so he could keep his voice low as he spoke.
"Kashi?" he whispered. "Are you ok?"
The ex-jonin gave his lover a sad smile. "No" he said quietly. "I don't think I am."
Obito's heart clenched tight. "We'll find him."
Pain flashed in those mismatched eyes- so much like his own.
Well, partially his own.
"What if we're too late.."
Obito reached out and took one of Kakashi's hands in his own. He gave it a tight squeeze.
"Don't think like that" he said firmly. "Naruto won't go down without a fight- you know that. He's going to get through this."
Kakashi wanted to believe that- he did, desperately- but he just couldn't shake the feeling that Tobi was wrong. That something horrific had already happened to Naruto.
And that he would never be the same because of it.
--
Naruto dropped his head, not wanting to face the Uchiha in his mind- his incessant stare, and the illusion he had conjured for them. Refusing, but knowing he wouldn't be able to for long. This was the Mangekyou after all- a place where Itachi had absolute control. And with Kurama's chakra locked away, Naruto didn't stand a chance of breaking out of it. Meaning he wouldn't be able to stop Itachi from uncovering the truth.
Naruto was terrified that if Itachi did, if he knew everything that's actually happened, that he would find an entirely different Uchiha staring back at him. One he would prefer never to face again.
"Don't do this" Naruto breathed.
Itachi forced the blonde to sit before him, using his Mangekyou to bind him to a simple wooden chair. Naruto didn't bother to resist as the restraints tightened around his wrists. It was pointless to fight it. He just continued to keep his head down, his eyes averted as he waited to see what the Uchiha would do next.
Itachi conjured another chair before the despondent blonde and took a seat. He eyed his prisoner for a moment as he considered his next move. He didn't want to hurt him, but he was tired of being avoided like this. His opposing feelings were in constant turmoil- his anger and affection grappling for control.
The raven sighed, reached out, and gently lifted the blonde's chin. "Naruto" he said softly, contrary to the rough restraints he bound him with, "what makes you think you can't tell me what's going on?"
Naruto gave him a pained look. "Why can't you just trust me?"
"I could ask you the same thing."
Cerulean eyes fell, unable to meet his gaze. "You know why" he whispered.
Itachi's eyes hardened. "So you do hold it against me…"
Those heavy blues shot back and gave him an incredulous look. "Can you really blame me?! After everything you did- what you almost did. I'm your prisoner, Itachi. Again. What else am I supposed to feel?"
Naruto was surprised to see that his words seemed to resonate with the raven. While he still appeared to be angry that Naruto was keeping things from him, it did appear to bother him that he felt like he had to. That he had not forgiven him for the trauma and pain he had caused.
Naruto couldn't help but feel a bit of sympathy for him, and was instantly horrified when he did. You can't feel sorry for Itachi- he tried to fucking rape you.
He doesn't deserve your pity.
…you know he doesn't.
Naruto was still in the middle of his internal struggle when Itachi's voice suddenly cut through, silencing his thoughts.
"The things I did the last time we were together" he said, studying the blonde closely as he spoke, "that's not really the reason you're afraid of me now, is it."
Naruto's pulse quickened, alarmed by how close Itachi was getting to the truth. By what he would inevitably find, and what it would do to him when he did.
"I… I can't tell you."
Crimson eyes darkened. "I promise you, Naruto-"
Itachi watched those beautiful blues widen as he leaned closer.
"-you can."
"W-wait!"
Itachi ignored his plea and forced his way into Naruto's mind. He immediately started sifting through his past, his memories, searching for the answers he was suddenly desperate to find. When he came across an image of Kabuto's latest hideout he swiftly brought it to the surface and projected it before them, letting both of them watch the truth unfold.
Itachi finally released Naruto's face as he turned to watch the scene play out. He blinked, confused as he watched the version of himself in Naruto's memory exit out of a hidden door tucked into the rough rock walls, something he definitely didn't recall doing. His confusion grew as past-Itachi stepped out from the darkness and immediately moved towards the terrified blonde scrambling to get away from him. He watched himself ignore Naruto's obvious fear as he knelt before him, as his hand slipped into that thick mass of hair and forced him close.
"I don't remember this" he muttered, mostly to himself but Naruto heard it. And it was clear that he was concerned by it.
"Itachi" he breathed, "please, you're making a mistake."
The raven looked over and studied him for a moment before returning his gaze to the memory on display.
"Show me the rest of it."
Itachi watched with a combination of fascination and horror as more of that day unfolded before him. He saw himself pull Naruto into an illusion where he forcibly undressed him, ignoring his screams as he caressed him like a lover, as he positioned himself against him- fully intending to act on it. Then it changed again and the two sank into another illusion, one tucked inside the first. The Naruto of the past pleaded for Itachi to listen to him, to stop, just as he did now, and as always Itachi was resistant to it.
It took a while before there was finally a memory Itachi recognized. It was in that same illusion, when Naruto brought up the ramen they had cooked together years ago. When he recalled gazing at the stars with Itachi, and how he even continued to do so after he was gone.
"I remember this" he murmured fondly, preferring his own memory over the others.
Naruto bit the inside of his cheek, refusing to comment, but Itachi wasn't willing to accept his silence this time.
"Why do I remember this but not everything before it?" he asked directly.
Naruto gritted his teeth, trying to stave off the truth, but the Mangekyou's powers easily forced it out of him. "B-because that's when you w-were yourself."
Itachi quirked a brow at that. "Meaning?"
Despite Naruto's attempts to hold back, the words continued to fly out of him. "T-the ones you don't remember, that's because it wasn't you. It was the o-other Itachi."
"Other Itachi?"
"Kabuto's.. puppet."
Crimson eyes narrowed. "Puppet" he spat, clearly disgusted by the prospect.
Naruto swallowed hard. "Kabuto brought you back with a reanimation jutsu. He said not all of you.. made it back." Naruto chewed at his lip before he added. "The other Itachi.. he isn't like you."
"Because Kabuto controlled him?" Itachi guessed.
Naruto shook his head. "I don't think he has a conscience. So much has been twisted around in his head. He just… he doesn't understand."
"What doesn't he understand?"
Naruto gave him another pained look before the answer was finally forced through him.
"What he's doing to me."
The expression on his face, the agony tucked between every word, it tore at Itachi. He didn't like seeing him like this, and he hated knowing he was the cause of it. He had tried so hard to make things right in his final moments, to make amends for everything he had done to hurt him. How could this other Itachi have already caused so much damage?
"What has he done to you?"
Panic flashed in Naruto's eyes, a fear Itachi had yet to understand. But he would.
He'd make sure of it.
"No, please" Naruto pleaded, "don't- don't make me show you."
"I'm tired of you hiding it."
Itachi turned away from the blonde's haunting stare and refocused on the memory frozen before him.
"Show me everything he's done."
"Nnnhnn, s-stop!"
But it was no use. The memories were pouring out of him, far beyond his control, apathetic to his frantic cries.
Itachi watched the scene unfold, utterly horrified to see himself shoving rice in Naruto's face before slamming his head against the floorboards, agitated that he would resist eating. He saw Naruto's fear skyrocket as he pulled him into the bathroom, as he suggested staying. He hoped that'd be the worst of it, but it was far from it.
Itachi's stomach twisted into mangled knots as his alter ego crawled on top of Naruto. He watched him wrap his hand around the chain he should have never used to begin with, forcing him back against the bed. He watched as Naruto screamed, pleading for him to stop as Itachi reached back and forced a finger inside of him. The real Itachi visibly recoiled from the memory as it continued to play out- as the other Itachi shoved a second digit in and roughly thrust them deeper, convinced that the blonde beneath him was enjoying it just as much as he was.
He saw the moment Naruto finally managed to get through to him and hoped that'd be the end of it, but unfortunately his other self wasn't done quite yet. Shame flooded through him as his alter ego jerked off on top of his alarmed prisoner, as he forced Naruto to say his name until he finished.
Itachi let the memory fade out, allowing the darkness to close in around them and the crippling silence with it. Itachi had no idea what to say. He was still struggling to process the fact that there was another version of himself tucked somewhere inside. But seeing his other self do those things, watching him terrorize Naruto, effectively undoing everything he had tried so hard to fix…
It was awful.
And what made it worse- some repulsive, primal side of Itachi couldn't help but be turned on by it.
"This is why you wanted me to remove the chain.."
The raven finally glanced over to find Naruto's mortified eyes staring back at him.
"What made you keep this from me?" Itachi asked. "Why wouldn't you want me to know what I did to you?"
Naruto's face reddened, shame coursing through him. He hated that Itachi saw it, that he had to relive it. And he absolutely despised having to talk about it.
"I thought.. I thought that if you knew what he did, that maybe you'd want to…"
Itachi's mouth curled in disgust. "Try it out for myself? Is that what you think?"
Naruto bit his lip. "I… I don't know."
"Clearly, you do" Itachi snarled.
"I was just afraid, ok!" Naruto forced back tears as all of the anger, the frustration and terror he's felt over the last week, shot through him. "God, can you really fucking blame me?!"
"No.. no, I suppose I can't."
An uncomfortable silence fell between the two, one that neither were sure how to break. But Naruto couldn't let it last. He needed Itachi to see things his way. And he wasn't sure how many chances he'd have to do that before his darker side reappeared.
"Now that you know what he's done, why he wants to keep me here.." Naruto paused, steeled his nerve, and met Itachi's eyes. "Will you let me go?"
No.
He should, he could see that, but he didn't want to. Itachi just wasn't ready to let him go.
He didn't want to lose him.
And after what he just saw, there was no way Naruto would ever stay with him freely. This was his only chance to keep him close, to keep him in his life. But could he really do that to the person he cared about most? Could he really put Naruto through all of that, potentially even something worse, to appease his own selfish desires?
"I don't want you to leave" he admitted, knowing it wasn't the right answer. And definitely not the one he was hoping for.
Naruto clenched his fists tight and jerked against his restraints, rage rushing through him. He knew that the bindings were a figment of the Uchiha's Mangekyou, but he was suddenly desperate to get away from him and he couldn't help but try. He needed Itachi to see reason, to give him the break he never did before, and it pissed him off to no end that he still refrained from doing so.
"How can you be ok with this!" Naruto shouted, repulsed by the thought. "How can you see all of that and still think it's ok to keep me here?!"
"I never said I was ok with that."
"But you won't let me leave.. will you."
Not a question. Naruto could see it on his face, clear as day.
He knows what the other Itachi will do to me, and he's still going to keep me here..
How could he do this to me?
Naruto shook his head, his disgust apparent. "I thought you were better than this."
"Did you…"
Itachi grabbed his jaw and jerked him back to face him, his grip brutal and unyielding.
"Didn't you just say you thought I would do the same thing if I knew?"
"I-"
"You already made up your mind about me a long time ago. Isn't that right, Naruto."
"Itachi, will you just-"
"So maybe I should."
Dark eyes scanned over the blonde's pallid face, his anxious stare. "What reason do I have not to if I really am just like him.."
Naruto shuddered. "I never said that!"
"But it is how you feel."
"No! That's not true! I know you're different from him!"
"I want you" Itachi murmured. "Just as badly as he does."
Naruto flinched.
"I keep you locked up here, I've convinced myself it's the right thing to do, and I have ignored what you wanted in my own selfishness. So tell me, Naruto, how am I different from him?"
"Because y-you don't want to hurt me! You have a fucking conscience!"
Naruto forced back the sudden tears before finding his eyes once more. "Please, Itachi. You have to know what this is doing to me. I can't.. I can't do this again."
The Uchiha eyed him a moment longer before finally releasing his face, and with it the illusion he had trapped him in. The darkness surrounding them faded until they were standing in the kitchen once more. Itachi let his arms fall to his sides, but he had yet to step away. He could see Naruto attempt to push further back against the counter, trying to keep as much distance between them as possible, but it did little to help.
Naruto turned his head, letting long blonde locks hide his face. "You're.. too close" he murmured.
"Am I?"
"Itachi…"
That was all it took. Just the sound of his name slipping across Naruto's tongue like a lover's whisper, a breathy plea. It left him weak, powerless. He just couldn't help himself.
Itachi grabbed the back of Naruto's head with one powerful hand, jerked him forward, and smashed his lips against his own. He felt him struggle, tasted his fear, but everything just seemed to make him want him more.
Maybe he was right to worry, he thought.
Maybe the truth really will turn me into a monster.
Itachi stepped closer, kissed him harder, and felt a part of him slip away. Then another, and another- as if his mind, his very being, was unraveling.
As if someone else was stepping in to take his place.
--
The four set up camp sooner than Sasuke would have liked. Unfortunately night overwhelmed the day far earlier this time of year, making the decision for him. Though that did mean they would be able to get an earlier start, it was of little comfort to him. Naruto has been missing for a week, and they didn't appear to be any closer to finding him.
Time just wasn't a luxury they had.
Sasuke would have liked to go on without the rest of them, but he needed Pakkun to track their scent for him. It would be of little use to do so without him. Not that he didn't try to convince the mutt to do so, but Kakashi's ninken were fiercely loyal. Pakkun refused to go anywhere without his master.
Damn dog.
Sasuke threw himself down beside the fire Obito had started and silently glared at the flames, his eyes burning with matching intensity. He was so restless and yet distracted by his horrid thoughts that he didn't even register reaching into his pouch. Nor did he notice the object he pulled out of it, or how he mindlessly rolled it between his fingers. That is, not until Sai pointed it out.
Those dark eyes tracked Sasuke's movements, brimming with curiosity- which grew when Sai saw the foreign object in his hand. "What is that?" he wondered aloud.
Sasuke tore his gaze away from the fire and briefly looked over at Sai before dropping his focus to his hands.
When did I..?
"Sasuke?"
He retuned his attention to his curious comrade. "Not sure" he finally answered. "I think it's a remote of some kind, but I don't know what it's for."
Sai tilted his head slightly. "Hmm. Did you take it from Kabuto's lab?"
Sasuke nodded.
"And you tried using it."
Again, another nod.
"And it didn't work on anything there?"
Sasuke'd patience fractured. "Obviously not! If it did then why the fuck would I say I didn't know if it worked?!"
"Yes, I suppose that's true."
"Rhetorical, Sai. Remember? Rhetorical."
Sai almost replied, but then wondered if that was also rhetorical. He decided it was better to just assume it was and said nothing.
The fire crackled between them, filling the silence that fell, but Sai wasn't done. Another thought had occurred to him- one that wasn't rhetorical.
"Why did you take it with you?" he asked, gesturing to the remote rotating between the Uchiha's fingers.
Sasuke sighed. "I guess I'm just hoping that it will help."
"Help?"
"In case you haven't noticed, things are not going well."
"No, I've noticed."
Sasuke rolled his eyes.
"Right. Well, Kabuto had this thing for a reason" he said. "I don't know if it'll be useful but if there's even a chance that it can help me find Naruto, I'll take it."
"I hope it does" Sai murmured.
"Yeah."
Sasuke clicked the button for the thousandth time, waiting for a miracle he knew better than to hope for. One that he still seemed to hope for nonetheless.
"Me too."
Author Note:
I know that this chapter is LONG overdue, but I do hope you enjoyed it. Admittedly this is more of a connecting chapter that leads to the next big events so it's definitely possibly you weren't as enthralled by it.
Either way, I appreciate you wonderful little manticores for returning and for sticking with this story for 88 chapters (so far). You are quite possibly insane, but it is honestly in the best kind of way.