The Demilitarized Zone

Disclaimer: Not mine. Bummer.
Summary: Itachi Uchiha has always had a sadistic streak when it came to his little brother. Now the perfect opportunity has presented itself and he just can’t let it go by. He does love him after all. (SasuNaru)

Author’s Note: Okay, it is twenty pages shorter than the last chapter… which made my fingertips bleed. I swear. But, it has only been eight days since the last update. It’s a give and take kinda thing. I’m very sorry to say that this chapter isn’t very funny… at all… not even that comic genius Sasuke could save it this time.
No need for a warning about citrus juices either.
What a disappointment I must be.

The Demilitarized Zone
Chapter 12

Itachi Uchiha sat at his desk, the phone held to his ear as his brain processed what the detective was telling him. For some reason, he was only getting bits and pieces no matter how hard he listened.

“… brother… explosion… FBI agents dead… Uzumaki missing… parents… hospital… immediately…”

When the detective finished, Itachi didn’t say a word. He closed the phone softly and slid it into his pocket before pushing his chair back and standing. He walked around his desk and stopped in front of the chair his baby brother had sat in less than five hours ago. His pale hands adjusted the dark tie around his neck and flattened it against his chest before wrapping strong fingers around the back of the black leather chair. He looked down and saw his wedding ring flash is the light.

With an animalistic roar, the chair flew across the study, slamming into the far wall causing pictures and plaster to crash to the floor.

By the time Fugaku and Mikoto reached the room, Itachi had just opened the door, his face devoid of emotion, his eyes cold, black… expressionless. He adjusted his jacket and looked at his parents.

“Itachi,” His mother said eyeing her oldest son up and down, “Is everything okay?” Her midnight eyes made to look over his shoulder but he pulled the door shut calmly behind him.

“There was an explosion at the hospital.” Itachi’s jaw clinched shut for a moment, “We need to go now. I will explain on the way.”

“Itachi…” Fugaku began but all he got for his effort was Itachi’s back as he walked away.

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Naruto… Naruto… Naruto…

In the back of Sasuke’s mind he knew he had finally discovered his personal mantra. He would be chanting that to himself for the rest of his life… when he was happy… when he was sad and, chances are, when he wanted to rip the dobe’s head off. It was such an amazing moment for him, he felt as though the world had exploded in correlation with his revelation.

In the next second, as he was knocked off his feet, it became very clear that what he was experiencing had nothing to do with his mantra.

The sound concussion alone brought him to his knees and without conscious thought he continued screaming for Naruto. He saw the men in black surround the blonde and then the light and the heat wrapped around Sasuke forcing him to fall to the ground, the skin on his hands shredding against the asphalt, his body in the prone position as his arms covered his head.

His mind continued to struggle with the situation at hand and his need to protect Naruto. He felt the heat cocoon him until he cried out in pain, scared to breathe and move and yet instinctively he rolled, pushing himself as close to the ground as he could. He had no idea how long it was until the heat subsided and he was able to take a deep breath of air that didn’t burn his lips and lungs. He rolled onto his back, focusing his eyes for only a moment before scurrying backwards on his hands and feet, like a crab, as a blown up car landed where his body had been just moments before. The twisted metal made a horrific sound and Sasuke was temporarily mortified to see what could only be the burnt and twisted bodies of Naruto’s guards looking at him before the flames licked up once again obstructing them from his view.

Pieces of cars and asphalt rained around him and Sasuke tried to push himself to standing. His hands and knees stung and he looked down to see he had scrapped them at some point and now blood leaked down his legs and dripped off his palms. He felt something warm trail down his neck, his hand reaching up and following the trail to his right ear. He pulled his hand away only to bring it back up to a gash on his forehead when blood ran into his left eye, stinging painfully as he blinked to get it out. He felt like he was in a tunnel. He could see things happening, things that should make noise, but the sounds were so far off.

He growled and harshly wiped the blood away. He had to get to Naruto. He couldn’t see Naruto. He crawled around the car, avoiding the fiery oil patches and the precariously perched sedan. His knees screamed in agony but the dizziness prevented him from standing.

Naruto… Naruto… Naruto…

He finally cleared the fire and the cars and wiped the blood once more from his eyes. He slumped backwards, hissing as his hands made connect with a pavement as he watched the black SUV drive away.

Suddenly, the hospital doors burst open, doctors and nurses streamed out. Sasuke tried to yell out but the blackness began to creep into his vision. He shook his head, a moan of pain escaping at the movement. He had to stay awake… Naruto needed him… had to stay awake… explain what happened.

Oh god… Naruto… Naruto… Naruto…

Sasuke didn’t even feel the pain when his head hit the asphalt and his eyes finally slid shut.

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Naruto blinked open his eyes and still he was shrouded in darkness. Taking just a moment to calm his heartbeat, he tried to assess where he was and why he couldn’t see. He felt movement under his body and realized that he was in a car. Moving his limbs proved to be pointless and painful as his arms were tied tightly behind his back and his legs lashed at the ankles. He was lying on his side, the side of his face pressed against the vehicle’s carpet and something was being used as a blindfold around his eyes.

Having a better understanding of ‘where’ he was, Naruto now attempted to suppress his panic and catalog what he knew about how and why. Images of Sasuke running towards him, his dark eyes wide, flashed in Naruto’s mind. He whimpered when he relived the explosion and Sasuke… dear god… Sasuke being covered in flames. Could he have survived that? Naruto felt the blindfold rub against his face and was surprised to feel that the cloth was damp. He was crying. He was crying because… He squeezed his eyes shut, taking a deep breath. He was crying because Sasuke was dead.

Sasuke was dead.

Devastation and sadness threatened to push him into hysterics when Naruto latched onto a ray of anger, pushing it forward like a shield from the mental anguish his mind was reeling from. He thought of the person behind this. The person who had now kidnapped him twice. The person who had nearly killed his parents and who had succeeded in killing Sas… He shook his head, biting his bottom lip painfully to stop the tears. Now he would know who was behind this. He was no longer a scared five year old and he was pissed.
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The detective sent Kakashi a sympathetic look from the door and walked out, leaving the silver haired man alone, news of his son’s abduction swirling around his drug muddled and now, fear ridden mind.

He pushed the starched sheets off of his legs and swung them slowly to the ground. His head turned sharply when he heard a childish giggle from behind. Looking he saw nothing, but knew it was the carefree sounds of his five year old sunshine. The sounds that he remembered stopped after he lifted his son from a bug infested cell. The sounds that never fully returned. Naruto had healed, but he was still haunted, never the innocent, carefree boy he was before he had been locked away in the damp and the dark.

What would he be now? Kakashi closed his eyes and golden silk falling in front of sparkling blue eyes greeted him, forcing him to open his eyes again. Would Naruto even survive this time? And not just with his mentality intact, but his life as well. Was Orochimaru alive? What could he want? Naruto’s money was inaccessible and that thought, which had brought Kakashi comfort after the first kidnapping, terrified him beyond reason now.

Asking for money would be futile. So, Kakashi didn’t doubt for a moment that there would be no ransom note this time. This time they wanted Naruto and now, now they had him.

Kakashi pushed himself to standing, using the bed for support. He may not have been asleep for long, but his body still bore the bruises that showed the severity of the car crash he had survived. He pulled his IV bag along beside him, using the pole to keep his balance while he walked slowly to Iruka’s bed. Sitting quietly in the chair Naruto had pulled up to be closer to his Papa, Kakashi reached out and grasp the sleeping man’s hand.

“‘Ruka,” Kakashi whispered rubbing the tan skin softly, “Naruto is gone. They took him again, right under my nose. He was here one minute, laughing… oh god, Iruka, Sunshine was laughing, like he used too, before. It’s because of the littlest Uchiha. You were right and apparently while we were sleeping, they finally discovered the joys of foreplay without fists.” Kakashi ran long fingers gently through Iruka’s chocolate colored hair mindful of his IV and Iruka’s numerous injuries. Kakashi looked up, expecting to see Iruka roll his eyes and call him a pervert. What he got was nothing but the gentle breaths of his sleeping husband.

“Sasuke was hurt. I don’t know how badly or if he is okay. The detectives think someone is acting for Orochimaru… maybe as revenge or that the snake is actually still alive.”

Kakashi once again closed his eyes, this time to stop the wetness from escaping, “I want to beg you to wake up because I don’t want to do this alone, Iruka. I want to hold you while we lie to each other about how Naruto will come back to us. I want to feel your fingers on my face, wiping away tears I refuse to acknowledge. I want to…”

Still holding the hand gently, Kakashi slumped back in his chair, “No, Iruka, you sleep. I don’t want you to have to live through this again. You sleep and when you wake up Sunshine will be here and we can all go home. You’ll see.” Kakashi stood up and kissed Iruka’s creaseless brow before shuffling back to his own bed.

And now was the time to wait. Wait to find out what was happening with the littlest Uchiha. Wait to find out what was happening with Naruto. Time to wait.

Kakashi growled before throwing a bouquet of flowers across the room. He fucking hated to wait.

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Sasuke’s head hurt and although that wasn’t nearly the extent of the pain that was registering in Sasuke’s mind, the fact was that with so much registering, it was just easier to say his head hurt. A quick tensing of muscles and small shifting of limbs told Sasuke that he had full function of his body. Pale fingers moved under starched blankets and across stiff sheets. He was in a hospital, which was fine by him because… well, see the pain above.

Well, his dobe was going to love this. He already hated hospitals and without Sasuke forcing him out of the car, would he even come and visit Sasuke?

And like a switch, everything that had happened to Sasuke came streaming back into his consciousness. The answer was ‘no’. Naruto would not be visiting him because Naruto was gone.

“Naruto!” Black eyes snapped open as the word ripped along Sasuke abused throat causing him to winced and grab at his throat, tears coming to the corner of his eyes.

“Sasuke!” He turned to see the concerned eyes of his mother and father. Sasuke opened his mouth to talk once more when his mother shook her head and placed a gentle hand to his lips. “Don’t talk. Your throat is raw from the fire and smoke.”

Sasuke nodded and glared. His way of saying, ‘Fine, I don’t like pain that much anyway, but, you know very well what I need to know.’

Fugaku nodded, “I don’t know how they knew you were here, but whoever is behind this killed the two FBI agents and planted a bomb in their car. When Naruto left the building, they took him and you were caught in the explosion.”

A dark eyebrow shot up sharply, ‘Yes, Captain Obvious, I was there. Tell me what I don’t know.’

Had the entire situation not been so serious, Fugaku may have smiled. Only Uchihas could communicate so creatively without sound. “We have no idea where they are at or even who they are.” Sasuke growled, fisting the sheets, “Up to this point, which is about two hours since he was abducted, we have received no ransom letter. No communication whatsoever.”

Sasuke’e eyebrows drew together in concentration before he shook his head slowly, ‘And we won’t.’

Fugaku nodded, “And we won’t. There is no reason. I guess they could have tried going for your money, but up until this morning, no one knew of Naruto’s attachment to you. This was planned in great detail with another ‘outcome’ in mind.” Fugaku placed a hand on Mikoto’s shoulder. Sasuke’s eyes widened at the gesture, his father was seeking comfort. Comfort because of the situation… a hopeless situation. Mikoto nuzzled the hand while her concerned filled eyes stayed trained onto her silent son.

Sasuke turned away from his parents to look out the large window. It was raining. Naruto hated the rain. He squeezed his eyes shut. He still didn’t know why. He still hadn’t asked him. There was so much he wanted to know. Just this morning he decided he was going to take his time, learn about Naruto slowly, with the grace of a wine taster, unhurried and thorough, taking small sips, with his eyes closed and the rest of his senses on high alert.

And now…

Naruto… Naruto… Naruto…

Dear god, Sasuke pleaded silently, please, don’t let the only thing he learned from Naruto be his new desperate mantra.

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Naruto felt himself shoved out of the van. He struggled to his feet, still blindfolded.

“I told you he was awake,” a deep voice said to his left.

“It shouldn’t have been possible,” a softer voice said directly in front of him, “But, he did always recuperate quickly. Isn’t that right, little Naruto?”

Naruto tilted his head trying to place the voice. It wasn’t the man, Orochimaru, who visited him in his cage. No, this was the voice that came from the shadows and only the light glinting off of his glasses had allowed little Naruto to know where he was.

“Who are you?” Naruto said standing very still listening to the shuffles around him. He was surrounded, his feet still tied together. He wasn’t going anywhere.

“No one important, I assure you. Come along now. You must be tired, let me show you to your room.”

Naruto felt the chill run down his spine and he fell to his knees and onto his face, unable to stop his momentum with his arms, when someone shoved him from behind. The gentle voice hissed, “Do not, for a moment, think that you can treat him that way. Only ‘he’ can and he won’t take kindly to your abuse.”

Mumbles of apology were heard before Naruto was helped to his feet and guided along the pavement, into a building and down a series of steps to his ‘room’.

“Ah, here we are. You wouldn’t believe how difficult it was to find something we knew you would like.”

The blindfold came off and Naruto looked around in horror. It was just the same. In front of him stood a cold, wet cement room… hole in the wall… barely larger than a closet, with bars along the opening. The man started to talk again and vaguely Naruto felt the bindings on his ankles fall away.

Drip… drip… drip…

He knew he should be listening, searching for answers and weakness, ways to survive or escape, but all he heard was the dripping, like drum beats in his head, steady, thunderous and terrifying. He was pushed into the room, his body inside, while someone pulled his hands up behind him, causing him to gasp as the muscles in his arms tore, screaming from the pressure. His hands were freed and he was pushed harshly into the cell, the door and lock creaking behind him.

“Enjoy yourself.” The soft voice said and Naruto turned to look at his captor. The white haired man smirked at him and pushed up his glasses. “My, how you have grown.” With that last comment, he and the other two goons turned and left the room, but not before turning off the lights and leaving Naruto in pitch black with nothing but the tortuous dripping to keep him company.

Drip… drip… drip…

He backed up slowly until his back hit the wall and slid to the floor. Naruto felt the moisture begin to soak into his pants and the back of his shirt. Already the chill of the room was snaking through his body and Naruto pulled his knees into his chest.

Drip… drip… drip…

Through it all, the dripping continued and Naruto covered his ears with his hands, pushing against his head trying to block out the gentle splashing of water droplets against the floor. He reminded himself that he wasn’t still five, that he was grown up and that he wasn’t weak this time. He told himself that someone would find him or he would escape. He told himself that it wasn’t the dripping that hurt him… it was just water.

Drip… drip… drip…

He tried humming, imaging himself in a room with Gamabunta, his arm moving back and forth, pulling notes from the air to wrap around him.

Drip… drip… drip…

He imagined Sasuke leaning against his side, pale fingers tapping out the beginnings of ‘Twinkle, Twinkle’ while his sweet breath moved the blonde hairs that fanned across Naruto’s cheek.

Drip… drip… drip…

He saw Sasuke running towards him… leaning in to kiss him… flames erupting around him… heavy above him, lust filled eyes piercing his soul… screaming Sasuke’s name… in horror… in pleasure… in anguish… in need…

DRIP… DRIP… DRIP…

A sob echoed throughout the cell.

“Still whining, Naruto. We are going to have to do something about that.”

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This time when Sasuke awoke it was dust outside and he could hear his brother’s voice. Turning toward the sound, he saw his brother violently push a taller, black man against the window in his room, “What the fuck am I paying you for, Kisame?”

“Itachi…”

“Don’t speak! I don’t want to hear anything you have to say unless it begins with ‘We found Naruto’ and ends with ‘Have the asshole’s head for your pleasure.’” With disgust Itachi released the man, “Is that what you have to say, Kisame?”

Kisame shook his head and stepped away from the seething Itachi, “No, I can’t begin or end that way, you fucking prick, but I can tell you that we have Sakon.”

Itachi’s face twisted into a feral snarl and he lunged toward the man once more only to be stopped by a strong hand on his chest.

“Baby brother,” Itachi said his voice devoid of its previous malice. Dark eyes scanned Sasuke’s body. He wore a hospital gown, his knees heavily bandage. Further up his saw that his brother’s hands and arms were no better. Reaching Sasuke’s face, Itachi inhaled sharply, “Sasuke?”

“I would like to hear what your… friend… has to say.” Itachi nodded slowly and Sasuke turned menacing, cold eyes toward Kisame. “Tell me.”

With just those two words the taller man swallowed, his presence seemingly diminishing as Sasuke and his dark aura loomed above him. “Now.”

Before Kisame could begin a nurse opened the door, she stopped when she saw her patient standing between two men. The looks on their faces alone made her knees knock together, “Umm… Mr. Uchiha… s-sir. I need you to get back in b-bed now.”

Without taking his eyes off of Kisame Sasuke addressed the nurse, “No, you need to go find my clothes. It seems as though I have business elsewhere.”

She shook her head, “No, s-sir, you can’t…”

“Itachi!” Sasuke snapped.

Itachi stepped away from his brother and addressed the nurse. The younger brother’s voice sent ice threw her veins but this man, his older brother, made her lower lip quiver and for a moment she swore his eyes flashed red in the darkness, “Find his clothes.”

“Y-y-yes! Of course.” The door clipped her heels before shutting.

“Now, you were saying?” Sasuke asked once more raising a sinfully dark eyebrow. Kisame decided it may be time to retire, move to the Caribbean, have a few little brats and drink rum from coconuts on white sand beaches…

The lack of air ripped him from his paradise retreat and back into the hospital room, his collar being held tightly in Sasuke’s hands, his back forced to bend in order to keep his face level with the younger Uchiha.

“I don’t wait… well,” Sasuke hissed and the taller man nodded as his collar was released.

“We have Sakon in holding and are ready to begin questioning. We feel that Tayuya has given us all the information that she has and we await instructions for her…” Steel blue eyes shifted to Itachi, “dismissal.”

Sasuke growled bringing Kisame’s eyes toward him once more, “What information did she give?”

“Plenty of names. My god, whoever is behind this has lackeys everywhere. In fact, a teacher from Umino’s school is on the payroll. That would explain the breach of knowledge in regards to their location.”

Again, the nurse opened the door and walked quickly into the room, leaving a pile of clothes on the bed before turning and opening her mouth. Sasuke only had to look at her before her hand came to her mouth and she ran out the door.

“Baby brother, is that really necessary?”

Sasuke ignored him and walked slowly toward the bed. Grabbing the pile, he proceeded toward the connected bathroom.

“Sasuke, I can handle this,” Itachi began meeting steel black eyes with Sasuke’s own.

“Save it,” Sasuke hissed, “You may be the devil, but you are nothing without your minions and one of us is missing.” Sasuke entered the bathroom but left a crack open, “So stop the big brother shit, put on your evil, lord of the darkness panties and find out who took my goddamn dobe!”

Kisame failed to choke off a snort and Itachi growled, “Little brother,” He began but stopped when Sasuke came out of the bathroom, black jeans and sweater still ripped and bloody from when he had been admitted. Itachi couldn’t decide if it made his brother look smaller or exponentially more sinister.

“I have to make one stop and then I will meet you both in the car.” Sasuke felt his pockets and then looked at Itachi, “Where is my phone?”

Itachi stared at him blank faced and pointed to the bedside table. Sasuke walked stiffly toward the wooden table and retrieved his phone. “I don’t understand why the both of you are still here.” Sasuke said and left the room in silence.

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Sasuke stood outside the room that held Naruto’s parents, his sleek black phone pressed to his ear.

“I don’t care who he works for. I don’t care what he has done. I want to know about his family… the people he would die to protect. And Suigetsu, I want to know in fifteen minutes.”

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Kakashi shifted in his sleep when he heard the door open. He forced himself toward consciousness needing to know if Naruto was okay. What was going on?

Gray eyes blinked open and struggled to focus in the darkness of the room. He didn’t see anyone until he heard a shuffle at the side of his bed. Turning, his eyes wide, Kakashi saw Sasuke Uchiha.

“You asked me what my intentions were.” Sasuke said quietly and Kakashi could hear a rasp in his voice that hadn’t been there before he left this afternoon.

Kakashi nodded and saw the rips and the blood covering the young man’s clothes. The sides of his face were red and painful looking from burns and a thick bandage glowed through his midnight bangs on his forehead.

“Should you be out of bed, Uchiha?” Kakashi whispered into the darkness. Sasuke just stared and finally, Kakashi shrugged, “Yes, I did. What are your intentions?”

“I intend to get my dobe back. I intend to kill the persons responsible for his heartache. I intend to keep the idiot by my side for the rest of my life,” Kakashi raised a questioning eyebrow and Sasuke composure faltered just a bit, “Or as long as he’ll have me.”

Kakashi nodded and motioned the dark haired man closer. Hard, gray eyes met cold, black, “You bring him back to me and we will discuss it.”

Sasuke nodded and turned to leave. He paused at the door and without turning around addressed Naruto’s father, “I love him.”

“I know.” Kakashi’s voice followed Sasuke out the door as it closed behind him.

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“‘Kashi…” Gray eyes flew from the closed door to the bed beside him.

“Iruka,” Kakashi whispered and watched while warm, brown eyes moved from the door where he could still see Sasuke’s retreating back and to his husband’s gray orbs.

Iruka swallowed painfully and winced as he tried to sit up, “What the hell is going on?”

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In the hallway, Sasuke’s phone vibrated and he opened it, placing it to his ear.

“I have what you asked for.” All semblance of emotion that Sasuke Uchiha may have had in his posture and eyes at leaving the hospital room drained, leaving cold, cruel eyes and a mouth twisted into a sneer.

“Lovely.”

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Naruto stood slowly and deliberately, looking into a face that had colored his nightmares since he was five years old. Nodding his head, he smiled albeit shallowly, “Orochimaru.”

“I am so very glad that you remember me.” The long haired man said and the voice sent tentacles of fear down Naruto’s spine. The snake still stood at least a head taller than him and wore white slacks with a white shirt. Tied around his middle was what could only be described as a royal purple cummerbund, if not slightly more girly. Naruto met his eyes and winced to see that they were still yellow, the pupils elongated, the wrinkles around his eyes making him even more frightening.

Naruto shoved his hands in his pockets and his fear down in his chest. “I guess I’m a little surprised to see you, what with you being dead and all.”

Orochimaru smirked and produced a key to open the cell door. Naruto shifted, taking in everything, but his hope diminished when he saw three other people standing in the room. He’d never make it passed. The door swung open and the pale man bent to enter the room, creepy smile firmly on his face.

“Yes,” Orochimaru said walking slowly toward Naruto, who refuse to let himself step back. A pale hand reached out and touched his cheek, making Naruto flinch and Orochimaru chuckle, “I was forced to make a strategic retreat last time we met.” The finger traced each scar and Naruto squeezed his eyes shut, “For the last nineteen years I have been out of the country, hiding, biding my time. I’ve always watched you though, waiting for a chance to take my revenge.”

“The money is inaccessible,” Naruto bit out, equally relieved and surprised when the words came out strong.

“Oh yes, I’ve known that for some time,” Orochimaru said and bent in to nuzzle the blonde hair that curled around Naruto’s ear. Nothing could have stopped Naruto from jerking away and older man smiled as he did, “As a result, my interests toward you have changed.”

Naruto’s blue eyes snapped to the pale man and he tried desperately to keep the fear from his face, “Changed?”

“Yes, Naruto, no one will be receiving a ransom note because I have no intention of returning you this time.” Again the snake was at Naruto’s side and this time, his pale hands gripped Naruto’s arm, “This time, I’m going to keep you for my own… pleasure.”

Naruto jumped backward, ripping his arm back when he felt the moist chill of Orochimaru’s tongue running along his ear.

“Stay the fuck away from me!” He yelled his fists clinched against his thighs. “Someone will come for me and I’ll make damn fucking sure you’re dead this time.”

“Such brave words,” Orochimaru smiled, “I wonder who? Not your parents. Neither of them can move, so Hatake won’t be barging in to whisk you away.” Orochimaru tapped his chin in thought, “Perhaps your young fiancé? Sasuke Uchiha? I’m sorry to say that isn’t looking good either, Naruto. Surely you realize that he is dead.” The dark haired man smirked when Naruto paled and his breathing hitched, “People tend to do that around you.”

Naruto’s head had bent forward while he tried to control his emotions. His heart, his very soul, screamed at the reminder that Sasuke wouldn’t be coming for him, wouldn’t be waiting for him. His teme was gone.

“Naruto, did you have something to say? It’s not good to keep your feelings bottled up so?” Orochimaru mockingly asked enjoying the lost look on the tan face.

The blonde head slowly lifted until clear, blue eyes shone in the gray room, “I should have let Sasuke fuck me into the music bench.”

Gasps were heard from the three guards and Orochimaru advanced on Naruto, pushing him into the stony wall, “Sasuke is dead and the only one who will be…”

“And on his desk… in his bedroom.” Naruto continued.

Orochimaru released his chest long enough to backhand him, Naruto’s blonde head snapping to the side while his hand came up to hold the abused cheek.

“You’re right, of course,” Naruto smiled spitting out the coppery tasting liquid, “I should have ridden him while he was trapped beneath me, the green canopy of the forest wrapping around us while I screamed out his na…”

Orochimaru’s knee connecting to Naruto’s stomach brought the young man to his knees and he coughed up blood. “Shut up!” Suddenly, Orochimaru was crouched down at his side, his yellow eyes meeting Naruto’s pained, blue eyes, “You will be screaming, boy. Don’t doubt that for a moment.”

Naruto nodded and somehow managed to flash a cocky smile and whispered, “I should have crawled across his desk and stripped him until the only thing between us were our ties…”

The strong, pale fist hit his temple with such force that Naruto crumpled to the floor, blood leaking from his mouth and ear. The darkness crept around him and he felt Orochimaru’s pale fingers fist his hair, Naruto’s eyelids opening slightly from the pain, “You will pay for Minato’s crimes against me and the last nineteen years of my exile with your screams Naruto.” Naruto felt his head tossed against the floor. He heard Orochimaru leave the cell and then the parting hiss, “It will take a long, long time to repay your debt, I assure you.”

The lights went out and in the darkness Naruto pulled himself up slowly, whimpering at the pain as he pushed himself into a corner, curling into a ball, his hands held firmly over his ears.

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Sasuke stood behind the mirror watching as Sakon was beaten repeatedly. The gray haired man had yet to say anything useful and Sasuke thought he might actually be enjoying the torture... fucking masochist. Itachi and Kisame stood behind him and both men felt the dark aura around the younger man swirl and grow like a hurricane, spinning around him, pushing everything back.

Sakon laughed at something the ‘interrogators’ asked and Sasuke snapped his head to his brother, “Let me.”

Kisame laughed, “Look, kid, admittedly, you are one bad ass business man and you certainly have the mildly insane vibe going for you, but this isn’t a game. These men know what they are doing…”

“Four hours.” Sasuke interrupted his face still as blank as when he had entered the room, forty-five minutes ago.

“What?” Kisame said and cursed himself when he stepped backward as Sasuke advanced.

“Four hours since Naruto was taken. Scenarios of the things that could be happening to him have done nothing but grow in my mind.” Sasuke shook his head, “Now, let me ‘chat’ with our guest, or I will show you what I hope to god isn’t happening to Naruto. Using you as my subject.”

Itachi stepped between the two men and turned to his little brother, “Go on.”

Sasuke nodded and belittling the tension in the room, shrugged before placing his hands in his pockets and heading out the door.

“Holy fuck, Itachi,” Kisame hissed, “Isn’t he like your ‘innocent’ baby brother? Are you all fucking insane or what…” A dark hand ran through black hair “… shit.”

Itachi turned back toward the mirror in time to see Sasuke enter the room. “Apparently, when properly motivated, yes.”

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Silence fell when Sasuke entered the room. He nodded to the two men who were standing and then turned his dark gaze on Sakon. The gray haired man was sitting in a wooden chair, his hands tied together behind the chair and each ankle secured to a chair leg. Blood splattered down his chin and shirt, small droplets littering the floor. Seeing that he had Sasuke’s attention, split lips curled into a smirk.

“I suppose you are the ‘good cop’.” He chuckled at the joke. Sasuke just stared his hands still in his pockets.

“Go on then,” Sakon continued, “Suck up to me. In fact, with lips like that, I can’t imagine anyone not wanting to be sucked by you.” Behind the reflective mirror, Kisame held Itachi’s arm to keep him out of the room. Sasuke however just stared.

“So, what? Are you just going to stand there? You’re a hot piece of ass but you just standing there isn’t going to make me start crying and spilling my guts.”

Sasuke moved slowly toward the man and kneeled back onto his haunches in front of the smirking man.

“That’s right, baby. Get comfortable.” Sasuke tilted his head slightly before turning to the two men still in the room.

“Get out.” The men nodded and hastily complied.

“Oh yeah, baby. Don’t be quiet. Fuck, you have the looks, the eyes, the lips and the voice. Fucking genetics.”

Sasuke’s back stiffened as a picture of Naruto standing in his kitchen wearing his oversized clothes, saying nearly the same thing, flashed in his mind. Forcefully relaxing, he reached forward and began to undo Sakon’s boot lace.

“Hey, what are you doing?”

Pale fingers made quick work of the task and soon Sasuke stood, the long shoelace hanging from his hand at his side.

“I am aware that they have threatened to kill you if you don’t talk.” Sasuke said softly, his throat still painfully sore from the explosion. “I am here to tell you that your window of opportunity has passed.” In a move neither Sakon nor the observers in the other room anticipated, Sasuke had the shoelace wrapped around the man’s neck and was standing behind him. “Now, I want you to know that you are one of a hundred. You’re little friend, Tayuya, gave up any name she could think of. We started with you because she seemed to feel you were the ‘boss’.” The gray haired man opened and closed his mouth but no sound escaped.

“Are you trying to talk?” Sasuke smirked, “I told you… that time has passed.” Sasuke released the hold slightly on the string and Sakon had enough time to take one huge breath before Sasuke tightened his hold. “Sorry, my hands sting a little. It won’t happen again.”

Moving slowly around the chair, never letting up on the pressure, Sasuke faced the gasping man. “As I said, we will get our answers, but on a personal note, I’m particularly pissed off at you. You nearly killed my fiancé’s parents, then you left obvious evidence behind, fucking amateur, and now you’re not talking when asked nicely.” Sasuke sighed, “So, I was wondering if the words ‘Oto Mental Institute’ meant anything to you.”

Itachi and Kisame leaned closer to the glass when Sakon’s oxygen deprived eyes widened. The lace slipped again, Sakon gulped in air and Sasuke shook his head, “Damn it… so clumsy.”

Allowing Sakon several precious breaths, Sasuke pulled the lace once more, “I see the name rings a bell. Here’s what I know. You have a twin, Ukon,” Sakon tried to struggle, “who I am told is a sweet boy, still thinks he’s seven. He loves you to pieces.” The gray head shook back and forth frantically. “I want to say just once more that someone else is going to give us the information we want, but, sadly, your death won’t be enough for me and so, for every hour that I don’t have Naruto by my side, I will have one of Ukon’s fingers or toes cut off.” Even with the shoelace tightening, a scream escaped the suffocating man’s mouth.

“I know… I shouldn’t bring in an innocent, but then, what would we classify Naruto as, I wonder?” Sasuke looked down into the man’s face questioningly, “What is that? What are you trying to say? Oh, you’ll talk?”

A frantic nod.

“But I told you the time for talking was done.” Sasuke’s voice had dropped to subfreezing temperatures, “Pity… you should have when you had the chance.”

More soundless words formed on Sakon’s blue lips until finally it was just one word repeated again and again and again.

“Please?” Sasuke release the lace and stepped back, “It is the magic word.”

Sakon gasped, gulping in air only to cough it out, “Orochimaru!” He spat, “Orochimaru has him. Still alive,” More gasping and Sasuke once more put his hands in his pocket.

“Where.”

Sakon met Sasuke’s black eyes in uncertainly, Orochimaru would have him killed. Sasuke smirked, “Either way you are going to die. If you tell me, Ukon lives.”

Sakon nodded, resigned to his fate, “Abandoned warehouse off of Rokamaine Avenue, near the old mill district.”

Without a word Sasuke turned on his heel and left the room.

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There was some debate about whether the police should be privy to the newly obtained knowledge. Itachi and Kisame spoke is hushed tones as Sasuke leaned against the wall, his eyes closed.

253 minutes since Naruto had been taken.

255 minutes since Naruto had been taken.

256 minutes since Naruto had been taken.

“Enough,” Sasuke said and pushed away from the wall, “Of course we will connect the police. I’m not going to jail when this is all over. I have plans to do… other things. Have father call that Ibiki character. Tell him to be selective with whom he tells.”

Itachi and Kisame stared and Sasuke glared, “Did I stutter? Let’s go.”

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Naruto bit his cheek to stop his teeth from chattering. His blue eyes were still squeezed shut and his hands still cupped his ears. He forcefully attempted to relax and tried to think of someplace he’d rather be… like when he was a child. He knew he couldn’t wake up from this nightmare, but for now he could pretend it didn’t exist.

He imagined himself walking through the forest, his legs clad in khakis while his upper torso was wrapped in a thick, light blue sweater. His hands ran up and down his arms, feeling the softness of the sweater and he relished in the extra bit of warmth.

Turning at a sound, Naruto looked to his left and smiled. Leaning against a tree was Sasuke. He wore a white t-shirt and tight blue jeans, casual and breathtaking. His pale pink lips curled into a sexy smirk and he held up a single finger, signaling Naruto to ‘come hither’. Naruto had never been happier to comply.

When he was just two steps for the taller man, Sasuke reached out and pulled him toward his chest, wrapping strong, smooth arms around him. Naruto nuzzled into the warmth of Sasuke’s chest, listening to the rhythmic beating of his heart and breathing in the earthy scent that was the older man.

“Dobe.” His voice was smooth like honey, perhaps warming Naruto more than a sweater and gentle arms ever could. Naruto looked up into the pale face and reached his trembling hand up to thread through midnight locks, pulling the pale lips within centimeters of his own. He could feel the warmth of Sasuke’s breath against his face and smiled.

“Kiss me, teme.”

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Sasuke sat in the back of the vehicle flying through the night streets. He rested his head against the back of the seat and tried to relax his muscles. It was remarkably difficult when most of the muscles weren’t just tense, but bruised as well. The images of what might be happening to his dobe still bombarded his mind and Sasuke fisted his hands only to hiss and immediately ease them open when he felt the telltale wetness of re-opening wounds.

Pushing back the horrific images and crying sapphire eyes, Sasuke concentrated on Naruto, staring up at him, their lips moments from touching. The dobe’s sweet breath against his lips nearly made Sasuke moan and then the lips parted, “Kiss me, teme.”

And he did. He attacked the younger man, settling his hands against the blonde’s lower back, he pulled him until their bodies were flush, their lips meeting in desperate need, tongues thrusting forward, fighting for dominance, retreating slightly before waging a full scale counter attack.

Whimpers and moans of pleasure echoed in his ears and he couldn’t tell from whom they initiated and when Naruto’s tan hands pushed under his shirt, he honestly couldn’t be bothered to care. A harsh pinch on his nipple had Sasuke’s hips pressing forward and they both stopped breathing as the pleasure rippled through their bodies. Breaths came in pants and Naruto tilted his head to the side as Sasuke leaned forward caressing the skin with his tongue before marking him with his teeth.

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In a dark corner of a crumbling cell, Naruto was still curled up, his eyes shut and his ears still covered, but a tender smile reached his mouth and his lips parted…

“Sasuke…”

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Black eyes shot open and Sasuke looked out the window to see the condemned warehouse stark against the last rays of the setting sun.

Naruto… Naruto… Naruto…

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