Fanning the Flames

Chapter Thirty-Six

The interrogator squeezed his eyes shut and counted backward from a thousand, biding his time in hopes of winning his freedom. When the Grass nin's strokes became erratic he bit his cheek, knowing his opponent would be weakest just after orgasm. As soon as he felt the slender figure slump against him Ibiki twisted hard, ignoring the cruel pressure on his wrists and snaking his legs around the panting man's neck.

Zetsu's eyes popped open as strong thighs began to squeeze off his air. Ibiki just watched impassively as the Grass nin lost consciousness and fell to the floor. One problem down, he decided with satisfaction, but I still need to get my hands free.

The interrogator heard the water shut off in the shower and prepared himself for Kisame's return. Hopefully he'll realize how twisted this is. Still, best to be prepared for the worst. Ibiki lifted his head defiantly and fixed unreadable eyes on the door, breath catching tellingly as the knob began to turn.

“Shit,” the swordsman gasped. He hurried over to his fallen lover, checking for a pulse before rounding on Ibiki. “What did you do to him you bastard?”

“I waited until he came and then I choked the life out of the little shit. What are you going to do about it?” the torture master countered aggressively.

“I was trying to come up with some way to apologize for what happened. I rarely drink for just this reason. Now however . . .” Kisame trailed off for a moment before smiling broadly. “Now I think I'll just have to keep you. I need an outlet, after all, and you have selfishly deprived me of mine.”

*^*^*

Itachi paced his suite as he waited for the torture master to return. Perhaps letting him work things out with Kisame on his own had been a bad idea. The last thing the Uchiha was expecting was for the pair to suddenly vanish to parts unknown. “Perhaps we should try and track him down?”

“Who?” Jiraiya mumbled sleepily. “What time is it anyway?”

“Almost four,” the soft voice confirmed. “I'm worried about Ibiki. He left with Kisame hours ago. I thought he was in a hurry to get back to senpai.”

“Maybe he left from there. I'm sure there's nothing to worry about,” the sannin reasoned. “After all, they're friends. The shark was Ibiki's best man.”

“They were friends. But with all that's happening, I'm afraid that relationship is more than a little strained. Besides, something bad happened between senpai and his husband. There's more to this than it seems.”

“So what do you want me to do about it?” Jiraiya ventured reluctantly.

“I think we need to go find Ibiki, make sure he's alright,” the Otokage explained.

“No,” the sannin declared abruptly. “In the morning, maybe, but I'm not running around in the middle of the night looking for Ibiki. In the first place he's perfectly capable of taking care of himself, in the second place he'll kill us for interfering.”

“Nonsense,” the Uchiha decided. “I'm going, you do what you want.”

“I want to go back to sleep . . . with you,” the Toad Sage stressed.

“Then help me find Hatake-san. Once I know he's alright we can go right back to bed.” Itachi studied his lover's chakra. “You're worried too, I can see it. I'll make it worth your while.”

“And what does that mean, exactly?” the sannin asked with a grin.

“I'll dress up in that kimono you like so much Jiraiya-sama,” the stoic Uchiha teased. “I'll even put up my hair and paint my face.”

The old pervert's jaw went slack and his eyes glazed over as his mind drew a detailed picture of just what he was being offered. “Let's go.”

*^*^*

Kakashi woke in the middle of the night, instantly alert to any danger. When he realized that everything was calm he stretched out his senses, hoping to figure out what had jarred him out of a comfortable rest. Just as he was settling back to sleep the tent exploded in a flurry of barks and yowls.

“Akiko, what is it?” The copy-nin tried to calm the young nin-ken down enough for her to deliver her message. “I'm not taking him back,” he explained calmly. “I'll be just fine on my own. You're welcome to stay with him, of course. I guess Pakkun was right, it was a mistake to make 'biki pack.”

After several minutes of bitter griping about the world in general and the interrogator in particular, Kakashi finally snapped out of his funk and actually listened to the message. “What do you mean hurting? Why is he hurting? Do you know where he is?” The copy-nin listened intently as he pulled on his clothes and grabbed some weapons. “Take me there.”

*^*^*

Ibiki opened his mouth to protest, only to have it slam shut when a hard punch to the side of the face caught him by surprise. “Lesson number one, keep your damn mouth shut. The last thing I need is a whiney fuck,” Kisame threatened. “Speaking of which, it seems all this mess has me needing a little stress relief. First things first, we need to get rid of this.” The swordsman pulled out a kunai and managed to flip the panicked interrogator onto his stomach, kneeling in the center of his back to keep him in place.

When the blade began to carefully trace around his tattoo Ibiki let out a choked sob. It suddenly crashed down on him that he might never see Kakashi again, never greet their unborn children. “The baby needs me,” he whispered brokenly. “Let me go back until after the birth. I promise not to tell anyone what happened. Once I know 'kashi and the baby are alright I'll come back and do whatever you like.”

“Now why would I want to make a deal like that?” Kisame smiled cruelly, sharp teeth glinting in the harsh light. “I have you just where I want you. Once I let you go you'd surely change your mind. No, I think we'll leave things as they are.” He wrapped a hard hand around the interrogator's thigh to pin him in place and went back to his play, carefully parting the flesh surrounding the elegant kanji before sliding the knife underneath to peel the skin free of the underlying tissue.

The Mist nin cast the inked scrap aside and Ibiki watched it float to the ground in slow motion. Just before it hit a pale hand snatched it out of the air. The interrogator tried to focus on the figure looming behind Kisame, but the position he was pinned in prevented him from getting more that a peripheral scan of anything beyond a small patch of bloody flooring.

The torture master shut his eyes and let his head slump forward, concentrating on the pain surging through his system in an attempt to focus his scattered thoughts. A loud chirping sound and a chorus of yips and growls assaulted his ears as the pressure on his leg eased.

“I have you beloved, just relax,” Kakashi's husky tenor washed over him like a balm.

“I'm sorry, please forgive me,” Ibiki mumbled as he tried, and failed, to flip himself over.

“Don't move, there's help on the way.” The copy-nin gingerly got to his knees, leaning in close to rain tender kisses across the scarred face. “You have nothing to be sorry for. I was acting like a brat. I just get scared, this is all so ovewhelming sometimes. I love you, please come back to us, the baby and I need you.”

“I didn't want to go anywhere,” the interrogator husked. “You threw me out. Why?”

“Don't try and talk now. We can discuss all this later,” Kakashi insisted.

“Need to know,” Ibiki whispered as dark swirls painted his vision. “Dont leave me.”

“I'm not going anywhere.” The copy-nin squeezed his husband's hand encouragingly, training allowing him to maintain a calm, soothing tone despite the turmoil in his mind and heart. As soon as the interrogator's eyes slipped shut his facade began to crack, and the usually unflappable jounin's hands were shaking as he performed the signs to summon the pack.

“We need to get 'biki to the hospital in Konoha,” Kakashi explained. “He's bleeding badly so you'll have to teleport him.”

“Where will you be?” Pakkun asked suspiciously.

“I'm not supposed to teleport, remember?” the copy-nin shot back. “I'll be there in a few days. You are to stay with him unless I summon you. Make sure he knows I'm on my way and that I'd be there if I wasn't afraid of harming the baby.”

“I'll make sure he gets the message, Boss,” Bull rumbled. “I'm sure he'll heal faster knowing you'll be there.”

“I don't know about that,” Kakashi mutttered bitterly. “Be careful with this. If they can reattach it we'd both be very grateful.” The jounin carefully wrapped the discarded tattoo in a clean towel and handed it to the waiting hound.

“'biki, beloved, the pack is going to move you to the hospital now. I'll be there as soon as I can. I can't risk another teleport.” The jounin kissed a pallid cheek and squeezed the hand in his. “Love you.”

The copy-nin reluctantly stepped back, nodding approvingly at the gentle way the pack hoisted the battered interrogator. The moment they disappeared he slumped to the blood-stained bedding, burying his head in his hands as he fought to calm his raging emotions.

“Kisame? Ibiki? Is anyone here?” Jiraiya's distinctive baritone cut through the cacaphony in the copy-nin's mind.

“I'm in here,” Kakashi called. “I'm afraid Kisame can't answer you.”

Jiraiya followed his nephew's voice, stopping in the doorway to assimilate the sight of a pregnant copy-nin slumped in the midst of a blood-spattered room, two bodies at his feet. “Are you alright brat?”

“The pack took 'biki to the hospital in Konoha. I have to get there, I need him to see me when he wakes up.” Kakashi pushed past the stunned sannin, not even bothering to acknowledge his response.

“Senpai, you need to rest,” Itachi insisted.

“I didn't see you there, kitten,” the jounin managed. “I need to be with Ibiki. I'll rest once I reach Konoha.”