The Art of Patience

The Art of Patience Ch. 34
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Naruto opened his cell phone and dialed the familiar number and waited for Kakashi to pick up. He sat down with Itachi and let the long haired man rest his head on the blonde's shoulder.

Kakashi picked up after the third ring and leaned back in his chair. He was wondering when Naruto would call him. "Hello Naruto. If this is about Sai you've got nothing to worry about; he’s perfectly fine.”

Naruto sighed into the phone as he ran fingers through Itachi’s hair. "Unfortunately it’s not about Sai. Something's happened to Sasuke and I need your help again. Would you be able to come get me and Itachi from his house? I'm worried about taps on my car."

Kakashi sat up in his chair quickly enough to make it creak warningly and looked around for his keys. He could tell by his young friend’s voice that this was deadly serious and blinked as Sai walked up with his car keys in hand. It was strangely comforting how the little man knew what was going on enough to be helpful no matter what. "I’ll be there in ten minutes. If your stuff has been bugged then you better leave everything electronic behind and wear something simple. Some taps can be placed in clothes they're so small."

Naruto thanked the man and hung up. "I'll be right back Princess; I'm going to put my phone in your house just in case.”With that the blond headed inside and returned quickly.

Itachi stood up as well and waited for Naruto to emerge from the condo to speak. "Is he going to help us?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah I'm sure he will. Otherwise he wouldn't have told us to leave everything behind that could be used to track us down." Naruto shuffled outside and looked around for anything or anyone that might attack them. With Sasuke gone under such unusual circumstances he couldn't help but feel a bit paranoid.

Itachi was trying his best to stay strong but he couldn’t help the feeling of constriction get tighter in his chest. He wrapped his arms around Naruto and buried his face in the blonde's neck as he finally let emotions get the better of him. "I'm scared Master."

Naruto closed his eyes and leaned into Itachi for mutual comfort. They were both scared but that wasn’t what Itachi wanted to hear most likely; or at least not without some kind of reassurance to go with it. "I’m scared too, Ita. I can’t imagine what's happening to him but I’m sure we'll get Sasuke back soon or so help me I'm going to hunt your uncle down and stuff him in the sewers." Naruto surprised himself with how fierce he sounded about doing harm to the man that was causing all this trouble and was amazed that he felt so strongly about ending the life of another person even if they deserved it.

Itachi nodded but felt little comfort in the man's words, no matter their intentions. "I feel like it’s my fault. I should have insisted he come home with me..."

Naruto raised the long haired Uchiha’s chin so he could look seriously at the older man. "It’s not your fault Itachi. I should have insisted that he not stay late at all instead of letting him hang around the office late enough to be a target for your uncle. Or at the very least I should have picked him up myself."

At that moment Kakashi's car could be seen approaching and Itachi wiped his tears, not wanting the man to think any less of him.

Kakashi exited his car and approached the two distraught young men. "Are you two ready?" he asked in a calm voice. He knew that rushing would just panic the two more.

The blond nodded and gave his remaining sub a comforting squeeze before opening the back door for Itachi. It was such a little thing to do to ease the strain on the both of them but with the growing lump in his throat and the tightness around Naruto's chest it was also the most he could do without potentially bawling or screaming in rage over having lost his precious Kitty.

Itachi sat quietly in the backseat, not wanting to voice his protest and request his master sit with him; he really didn't want to be alone at that moment. But thinking on it more, he'd rather sit in the back than up in front with Kakashi, only having met the man once before it would be a bit awkward.

The silver haired man drove normally as he contemplated what to say to Naruto. He knew words of comfort would be useless so he opted to let the man in on his ideas for how to help. "Sai said he knew a few of Madara's houses and would be happy to help if he can. I'm not very good with finding out information but I do know someone who would be willing to help me. I'll give him a call once we get to my place." He finally glanced at Naruto and saw how much the blond was really hurting and felt for the young man. "We'll get him back." he said with comfort radiating from him.

The blond tried to smile at his old friend but stopped when it took more effort to keep up than it should. Naruto was grateful to have such good help at his fingertips but he'd never thought he'd have to employ the ex-Marine's special talents, not like this at least. "Thanks; if there’s anything I can do to help you get him back..."

Kakashi smiled as he continued to drive. "Just be there for Itachi, he's going to need you. And once we get Sasuke back, I'm sure he'll need you too." With that he turned off the engine for they had arrived at the silver haired man's house. It was a small but well kept house that looked well lived in from the outside.

Itachi opened his door and got out once his master did and he grabbed Naruto's hand but didn't say anything.

Naruto clung to Itachi’s hand and walked in step with his stressed sub and they advanced on the ordinary looking house where their best chance of getting Sasuke back lived. Kakashi was right; they’d have to be strong for Sasuke when he got back into their arms.

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Sasuke's breaths came out in harsh pants as he tried to quell the pain in his body. He didn't know how much time had passed since his uncle had left but the black man in the room with him had given him three breaks so far. The breaks weren't very long and didn't really relieve him any. Once the man turned the vibrator on once more, his erection returned, though forced it was, didn't prevent Sasuke from ejaculation. This proved to be the worst torture of all. He had already spent himself five times and it was becoming more painful each time.

Kisame squirmed in his chair and shot another glance at his watch which was taking forever just to move from one minute to the next. Hearing the kid was the biggest torture of all and he really wished he had ear plugs; having to listen to Sasuke’s suffering was really getting to him. It was one thing to take money to spy on people but accepting it to torture someone was something all together different and uncomfortable. If it weren’t for the fact that Madara creeped him out a little, he'd have taken his money and ran off to some tropical island filled with half naked women who’d bring him drinks all day long.

Sasuke whimpered as he came once more, the flow sluggish and producing very little semen. This time however, he noticed a faint pinkish hue to the usually white seed. He looked at Kisame with pleading eyes, trying to look as pathetic as he felt. He knew that it was probably almost time to give him a break, but the pain was too much and he felt himself get a bit dizzy and then everything went black, no more having to deal with the pain.

Kisame looked at Sasuke and jerked once he saw the pink fluid leaking from the boy’s penis. He'd finally gotten used to the boy cuming all over himself petty much constantly and getting close enough to turn the vibrator on and off but this new color, it had to be from blood, seemed very wrong.

Without thinking about what kind of hell he might be bringing onto his head, Kisame got someone to find Madara and hoped that the sadistic bastard would get in the room to either relieve the boy or at least let him, Kisame, off the hook.

It wasn't long before Madara entered the room, not looking too thrilled at being woken up. "What is it?" He glanced over at Sasuke and noticed the boy was either sleeping or passed out. Considering what was happening to him; probably passed out.

"Boss I know what you said to do with him but you didn’t say anything about blood." Kisame decided to just bring his concerns out in the open before Madara could get started about being woken up at this ungodly hour and hope for the best. He was really getting sick of working for this man.

Madara moved a bit closer to Sasuke and nodded. "It's a shame but it happens sometimes. Don't concern yourself with it." He turned to leave without removing the vibrator or cleaning up his nephew. "You can leave; I have no more use for you for now." With that the evil Uchiha left the room, closing the door with a soft click.

Kisame watched the bastard strut out of the torture chamber and turned to look at Sasuke. The boor little brat really didn’t deserve this treatment and it wouldn’t be that hard to just turn the damn thing off before leaving. But then again if he turned it off he'd be unleashing the controlling freak on his own ass once Madara found out what happened. He almost made it out of the door before his conscious really started to scream at him and he put away his pride and quickly turned the vibrator off. "Sorry kid. I really wish I could help you out more than this." The black man knew Sasuke was beyond hearing but it was the least he could do before turning his back on the tortured young man and running away to his car and his own warm bed far from this shit.

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Kakashi let the two distraught men into his home and noticed Sai at the kitchen table just as he left him. He ruffled the boy's hair as he passed and gestured for Naruto and Itachi to have a seat. "Did you eat while I was gone?" he asked the dark haired boy gently.

Sai glanced at Naruto and wanted so badly to comfort his former master, but he just shook his head in answer to Kakashi's question. "I wasn't sure if it was alright... I didn't want to..."

The silver haired ex-marine stopped Sai's words. "I already told you, you don't have to ask permission for anything while you're with me. Go on and find something to eat."

Sai nodded and hesitated after walking by Naruto and gave the blonde a quick hug. "I'm sorry for what's happened. I kind of feel like it’s my fault. If I hadn't had left...."

Naruto brought Sai in for a tighter hug and fought to keep control of his rising anger over having lost Sasuke to such a despicable man and deepening depression about not having done more to prevent the abduction. "It’s alright Sai. You couldn't have known that he'd go this far just to get you back. I doubt anyone could have known what would happen."

Itachi looked over at the two. He figured Sai thought that he hated him but that wasn't true at all. Like Naruto, Itachi had no blame for Sai whatsoever. "It's me he really wants anyway; he's always wanted me, ever since I could remember. I should have known he'd try to use Sasuke against us; I don't even want to know what..." He stopped as he saw Naruto give him a sharp look and shut up. He knew that Naruto didn't want to hear anything, even in theory of what may be happening to Sasuke at that very moment.

Sai just nodded and went off to get himself dinner while the other three talked.

Kakashi had been busy on the phone through the conversation and had just hung up before he spoke to the two remaining. "I just called Iruka; he's the one I told you about that can get information for us once we know the addresses Sai provided for us."

At that moment a scuffle was heard in the other room and Sai bolted in to place the piece of paper he had written addresses on down on the table. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize you wanted it now..."

Kakashi stilled the frightened young man. "It's alright Sai, thank you for doing this for me."

The dark haired boy nodded and headed out of the room once more.

The blond found Itachi's hand under the table and squeezed it. He really wanted this over as soon as possible but he knew it wasn’t that simple, things this nasty never were. "So how fast can Iruka find out where Sasuke is?"

"I can give him these addresses and he should get back to me fairly quickly. Since we don’t know what we're dealing with, I know we're pressed for time, I'd say a day or two."

Itachi squeezed Naruto's hand to dilute the anger a bit. "We don’t have that much time... we need Sasuke back now!" He could feel himself breaking and didn't want to cry in front of this man. He had no problem crying in front of Naruto but other people that he barely knew was a different matter.

Naruto knew that look; Itachi was holding something in and it wasn't just his anger. "A day or two? Is there anything we can do to speed things up?"

"I could get more than one man on it. I'll make some calls tonight and see what I can do. You two are more than welcome to stay the night."

Itachi looked at Naruto, pleading that his master decline the offer. He needed to be with the blonde alone to let out his feelings in the comfort of his own home.

Naruto caught the look and nodded just a fraction to let his sub know he understood. "Thanks for the offer Kakashi but I think Itachi and I will stay at his place so I don’t get in your way. I know I’d be bugging you every five minutes for an update."

The silver haired man nodded in understanding, knowing that the two probably wanted to be alone but made the offer nonetheless. "I'll give you a ride back then. I'll give you a call in the morning when I have some updates for you." With that he led the two out to the car once more after allowing the blonde a moment to bid Sai a good night and the three drove in silence.

Itachi was almost asleep once they got back to the condo and had to lean on his master for a bit of support while walking up the stairs after saying goodbye to Kakashi. Once inside Itachi kept up his 'strong' facade while mechanically picking up the living room a bit, not saying a word.

Naruto watched Itachi for a moment before sighing and intercepting Itachi as he was putting the couch cushions in order. "Don’t worry about cleaning right now baby, I'll take care of it. You just sit down and relax until I'm done and I'll get us some tea."

Itachi finally snapped. He threw the cushion he had against the opposite wall and started pacing. "I can't fucking relax; not when I'm thinking about all the horrible shit Sasuke's probably going through right now! He's probably so fucking scared and..." The raven sank to his knees and let the tears finally come as he couldn’t hold them anymore. "Why did he have to take my baby brother? He doesn't even like Sasuke... I know he’s trying to get to me... but..." He couldn’t talk anymore, for his pain was taking words away from him, the anguish overwhelming his senses to where he had trouble just breathing.

Naruto had been expecting this and he brought his distraught sub into his arms and rocked him slowly while the man sobbed his heart out. They both needed this kind of release and as much as the blue eyed man wanted to break down himself and cry like a girl he had to wait just a little bit longer until Itachi was feeling better, and hopefully asleep. Then he could curl up in his sub’s arms and cry himself out. "I know Itachi, I know. I wish I could make everything better for you. I know how hard it is for you to just sit and wait, it’s hard for me too. All we can do is be there for Sasuke once he’s back with us. We’ll have to be strong for him.”

Itachi couldn’t stop crying at this point. He clung to Naruto like he was his savior, in a way he was, and didn't stop crying until his tears ran dry and he felt he had to stop or he may just pass out from his splitting headache. He remained in his master's lap for the longest time before saying anything, his voice hoarse from crying. "I want to go to bed now."

Naruto nodded and picked Itachi up like he didn’t weigh more than a child and walked to the bedroom. It was really late and they both would need to get as much sleep as possible to deal with the days ahead. Though Naruto was sure he wouldn’t be able to sleep at all because of his worries and fears; both for Sasuke and Itachi. Naruto lay Itachi down in bed after pulling down the comforter and got in with his Princess. Once the blankets were covering them, Naruto immediately wrapped his arms around Itachi in a comforting embrace to possibly give some comfort to the distraught man during the night.

Itachi had no trouble falling asleep in his weakened state, but that isn’t to say that he slept soundly. His night was filled with images of which he didn’t want to ever envision in real life and he woke up several times in fear and always made sure his master was with him.

Naruto on the other hand had no sleep as he predicted. Once he made sure Itachi was out, he let himself cave and shed tears of sadness, anger, fear, and regret. In reality, Naruto knew in his heart that all of this was his fault. If he had just been more careful and more responsible from the beginning of all this.

Naruto comforted Itachi throughout the night when the terrors of the mind struck his sub and he made sure the tears were dry when Itachi was awake. Needless to say, the night was long for both of them and both of their minds were only on one thing; Sasuke.

TBC

Next chapter won’t be coming as soon but it will be done fairly quickly. Hope you guys are enjoying the fast pace XD Review please? XD