Inner Sanctum

At long last!!! an update, damn it!!! I know!!! I am a hateful person!!! Sorry! but this is really long, and the other parts are almost done... I had to cut it somewhere...this chapter was to be longer... but *shrugs...*hope you like... its the best I can do so far... so... if you dont like.. kill me... oh, btw, I fixed to my liking the last part of last chappie... the yamanaka lemon... if you want to reread that go on... nyah! baibai!

Recap:


“And just where do you think you are going, dobe?” a steely voice grated from somewhere over the right side of his head. Startled, he turned around, losing his footing and promptly falling back down on his ass, landing hard with a pained whimper.

Maelstrom

“Well?” The strained baritone queried distinctly, never once taking his eyes off his target.

‘I’m caught? When? How? Why?’ He thought frantically looking around for a way out. Certain parts of his anatomy throbbed painfully, reminding him of how stubbornly he’d refused exercise of any kind for the better part of a month thinking himself too stupid and unworthy to do much.

‘Serves you right! Idiot!’ he thought scathingly. He was sure he’d already gotten far enough away to be safe. Azure orbs stared over his shoulder to gauge his progress so far. His frantically beating heart felt like he’d been running for hours but now it seemed he’d barely covered a 100 yards.

His defeated expression did nothing to conceal the amazement inside twin pools of cobalt as they turned to examine the pale face of his guardian. The Uchiha stood under the cover of a nearby tree, his firm stance stressing the fact that no matter how hard he tried there was nowhere he could hide and no place he could run to.

“I asked you a question, dobe. I imagine you wouldn’t come so far to pick some flowers, right?” the raven drawled lazily, eyeing his bare hands, grass-stained yukata and soiled tabi with uncompromising eyes.

‘He didn’t even bother to put some geta on before venturing outside. Stupid dobe!’ To the trained eye it was patently clear his charge was not planning on going very far; only far enough to do what was necessary as was the tradition with suicidal shinobi. If that was the case, he wouldn’t need much: just a clearing far enough not to take any unwanted casualties with him and a few hand signs. Dark eyes grew huge as understanding dawned in dark irises. Grim undercurrents flew between them unfettered and Naruto flinched at the vicious rage he saw reflected inside the coal black depths.

‘He’s angry.’ The blonde’s inner self noticed with astonishment as his fingers fidgeted with the folds of his yukata. This was an unexpected development. Sasuke was supposed to be glad to be rid of him. Not angry.

‘Where did I go wrong?’ His mind gathered his thoughts sluggishly, trying to see where his plan had failed. Still he couldn’t see where he’d gone wrong. He stared at his clothes thinking rationally that today had been a lousy day to implement his plan. He did not understand his friend’s ever increasing anger.

‘He shouldn’t be so angry. There are things bound to be out of control, even for an Uchiha. He should be glad! Why is he so mad?’ Deep tremors shook his body while he gnawed his lip in a vain attempt to control them. Coal black eyes burned into the back of his lowered head and he paled, wilting under the fiery gaze that threatened to consume him. Confusion, anger, regret, shame and something else he didn’t dare to name fluttered vaguely inside his heart, making it hard for him to breathe. He could feel the pressure build behind his eyes and knew tears were not far behind.

‘Brazen it out, Naruto. You are the best at that, remember! It just won’t do to let him see you cry again. It will tie him to you even more.’ his inner-self chirped, in complete agreement with his previous assessment.

Staring into his hands with unseeing eyes, he concentrated for a second trying to reach a place inside his heart that was not polluted by pain. Unable to find any, he resorted to his well-known masks that had served him so faithfully in the past. Turning exceedingly joyful eyes over a thin shoulder he grinned, fit to split his face in two, scratching his chin absently.

“Heh, heh! You got me, Sasuke!! You are too good! Eto… I suppose saying that I was sleepwalking won’t cut it either since its barely sunset, now would it?” the blonde asked with a self deprecating smile making a weak attempt at humor. His bandaged arm rubbed distractedly at the back of his head while he racked his brain searching for a way out.

‘Now what do I say that makes it sound convincing and makes him lower his guard? Think Naruto, think!’ He grinned unabashedly, happily. Maybe too happily judging by the distrust contained within the narrowed expression of his raven-haired guardian.

‘He’s not buying it! What shall we do!’ he flinched expecting the raven to tear him into pieces any minute now.

‘Hold it, baka-yarou! Easy does it! Don’t screw it over like you did the first time around!’ a viciously scathing voice echoed inside his head, steadying his panicking brain into a semblance of calm and rational thought.

“Come on! I just wanted some Ichikaru Ramen! That’s all. I’m fed up of all that nutritious crap you feed me all the time! Yannow? Its time to be a bit unhealthy! Ne? ne?” Naruto rambled on with a playful pout, eyeing his surroundings and starting to gather his chakra slowly for a last ditch effort. The Uchicha smirked, his instincts rising to the challenge of the hunt for the first time in a very long time.

“Really? Is this the same nin who was so enamored with Ichiraku’s and ramen in general he’d go without eating any at all if he so much as caught a glimpse of a pink-haired or a blond-haired kunoichi in the vicinity?” he drawled, knowing he was being unreasonably cruel with his harsh words. Naruto paled but didn’t react further than that and he tensed waiting for the release of the pathetic amount of chakra he could feel being gathered.

“Don’t, Naruto. Don’t try to run. Kage no bunshin will not work in your current state and anything else will render you unconscious immediately. Don’t be more stupid than you already are.” Sasuke counseled softly, jumping from the tree limb to the fence rail to better see Naruto’s hands and curtail his last escape route. ‘If that’s what’s on his mind… though I don’t think so.’ He grimaced. Still, Naruto didn’t budge. It felt like talking to thin air.

‘This can’t be allowed to continue. I am sorry Naruto but tonight this stops.’ Sasuke thought decisively, staring at his friend who sat silently on the forest floor with that cagey look he usually got when he was up to no good. ‘Let’s see what’s on your mind, Naruto. That’s what worries me the most.’

‘Think of something, damn it!’ the blonde raged inside, eyeing the silently nodding raven as fear and embarrassment knotted inside his gut. His instincts screamed for him to flee as far as he could but regretfully there was nothing he could do just then.

‘The minute I try to stand, he will fall on my ass like a bear after honey. I am not budging from this place, at least not yet. Let’s see what’s gotten up his ass first.’ He decided with unusual insight.

His indigo eyes adjusted to the fading light and he noticed for the first time how close he was to the edge of the Uchiha lake. He trembled, remembering that just behind it lay a wood not unlike the one where it all began.

Memories sprang inside his brain like a flurry of kunai –sharp and deadly- as he swayed gently back and forth trying to hold himself in check. Pain flared inside his mind as his nails gauged the skin off his arms. Then the voice returned.

‘Ironic, isn’t it? Poor Sasuke… Such a powerful nin… chasing after a failure like you, Naruto. You’ve really weighted him down! Somebody so weak he was incapable of protecting himself and just now was unable to slip away without being detected! What a joke! I wonder how you made chuunin. Baka!’ The blonde’s eyes bled into red and he screamed in anguish. Grabbing fistfuls of blonde hair he pulled trying to make it stop. He was not going to cry! Not in front of Sasuke! Not in front of the only person that still respected him!

‘Are you sure he still respects you? After seeing what they did to you? They raped you Naruto. She pushed her fist deep inside your ass repeatedly and you liked it, you little whore! You liked it so much you came, repeatedly! Screaming with pleasure!! You liked it better than being inside Sakura! Don’t deny it! You are dirty! Filthy! You are an animal who’d be better off dead!’ the voice exulted crazily, eager to hurt him and flatten his will to bend it to its whim.

“No! no, no, no! you’ve got it all wrong! I didn’t want it! I hated it! It hurt! Stop it please! Its not true!” he whispered brokenly, hands to his ears and rocking with increasing agitation as he ignored the world around him.

“Naruto. I am still waiting. Stop acting up. That’s not going to make it easier for you. Bad things happened to you but that’s not the end of the world.” Sasuke deadpanned, frowning as he watched his friend’s glazed eyes and feral expression. It was like he was waging a war inside himself. His sapphire blue eyes went from red to purple to blue over and over. ‘I better act soon. Something’s gotta be done to break this.’

‘Whore, animal, filthy, slut, dead last, stupid, demon!’ the voices taunted over and over in a perverted merry-go-round inside Naruto’s brain as tears threatened to flow. His nails drew blood from the tender flesh of his scalp while tears coursed down his cheeks at the cruelty of those echoing words.

“Not true! Lemme alone! Not true!” he moaned softly, tugging at his hair, getting angrier by the minute. A throat being cleared in his immediate vicinity reminded him he was not alone. It was not time to lose it. There was Sasuke to deal with yet. Feeling cornered and more scared than he’d ever been, Naruto quickly ran through his options.

‘There was only one way out’, his inner nemesis purred seductively as he also fought for supremacy, ‘but you will have to sacrifice your feelings for him to free yourself.’

‘Like he’s gonna fall so easily for any of that.’ He scoffed, shrugging his shoulders and pushing himself to a kneeling position. Deep down inside, Naruto knew his inner voice pointed down the path to madness. ‘It scares me that its all starting to sound so plausible.’

‘If this is all madness, then what other plan do you have?’ argued the voice maliciously, knowing there was nothing he could do to get Sasuke away from him at this moment or any other for that matter. For the Uchiha tailed him with dogged persistence.

‘You are mad. This much we know. It’s true. Show him who you really are. Open yourself. Make him so disgusted he leaves… better yet, anger him. He has a lot of unspent ire inside. We can always put some of that to good use. What more fitting end than having him finish what he started at the Valley of the End so many years ago! Great way to close a beautifully dysfunctional ‘friendship’ right?” the voice inside his mind turned a corner, approaching down the dripping sewers for a meeting that was long due.

Sasuke watched the blonde’s gaze turn inwards as a gamut of emotions ran over his expressive face. He was afraid to approach him for fear to set him off. He hated to feel unsure. This was the first time in his life and he’d better make sure it would be his last. ‘It’s always with you Naruto. You always make me experience feelings that are best left alone.’


‘Or do you want him to know how you truly feel for him on top of everything else? Do you want to taint him with this love you feel?’ Naruto shivered, shaking his head. There was no way he would do something like that. His feelings for Sasuke were something best left buried deep inside his mind, locked inside a chest beside Kyuubi’s cage.

Now then, dying at Sasuke’s hand somehow had great appeal if it wasn’t because he knew his friend could do with one less mess in life. The death idea though was gaining appeal with every passing second. Squaring his shoulders, he gathered all the weeks of accumulated rage and pain he held close to his heart and let them grow. Once he was comfortable enough he could meet his friend dark gaze unflinchingly, he steeled his back where he knelt and released his plan.

Lifting his chin, he turned coyly and smiled seductively, with an edge of cruelty that set Sasuke on edge because it reminded him of a poisonous snake ready to strike.

“Oh, Sasuke. So… you wanna know where I was going, huh? Well… I’ll tell ya. Since we’re friends and all… ‘cause we’re friend, right? Um… see… I was gonna leave you see? I say I was tryin’ to get th’ hell outta this place and I say trying ‘cause then you stupidly came out to stop me and… and…” he faltered for a second under the steady gaze.

Panic flared inside his already taxed mind and he floundered around in search for his ally. His eyes fell to the side and he fell silent while he searched inside his mind, his breath hitching inside his chest.

‘I can’t do this! I can’t make him hate me! He was the first to recognize me! He’s my only friend! I don’t want to hurt him! He won’t buy it! Please! I can’t lose his respect!’ his pitiful cries to be spared fell on deaf ears.

‘That’s too bad, ne, Naruto-chan? You’ve already lost face. Remember, this is as much for him as it is for you. Sometimes you gotta hurt them to help them.’ His inner ally/nemesis replied mockingly before coming to stand right before him to stare into his own face. ‘We are one and the same. We want death. Life holds nothing. Free us Naruto.’ He gasped dizzily, repressing the urge to vomit.

“And?” the soft question perfectly matched the superiority conveyed by the haughty rise of a dark eyebrow. Sasuke’s mind was working overtime under his cool façade. Naruto was a bomb about to detonate and even though he could see it there was nothing he could do to stop it… yet.

‘Just as I thought, he is planning something.’ The Uchiha didn’t bother with an answer, irritation making his sharingan red eyes drill holes into his quarry, watching intently every movement while the corn-yellow blonde crossed his arms defensively still evading his eyes. It was all he could do to bite his lip to keep from smiling as his instincts screamed at him to swoop down to conquer his prey and submit him to his rule.

‘Even though he knows he is lost, he keeps trying. If only he was as persistent in trying to live and vanquish this obstacle!’ he sighed, knowing Naruto needed more than mere wishes. The blonde really did look adorable sitting there looking for the world like a lost child.

If it wasn’t for his sharingan enhanced eyes, the surreptitious movement of Naruto’s tan hands would have gone unnoticed until it was too late to do much of anything. As it was the almost hidden movements concealed under Naruto’s yukata’s sleeves were not lost to him as they registered an unusual sequence of signs: heart, snake, slug, monkey, frog, dog, badger, leaf...

‘Baka yarou! That can only end with raven, fox and your own demise!’ he cursed softly throwing himself silently to still the tan hands before he could complete the last signs that would end the jutsu that would effectively release all his chakra in one majestic explosion.

An unforgiving fist found his way into an unprotected, whiskered cheek, effectively sending Naruto hurtling through the ground and extinguishing his last reserves of chakra in one fell swoop. The blonde man lay where he fell, panting with defeat and unable to move.

Still, the truth behind this little escapade was not lost to the Uchiha. This would be the last time Naruto would be allowed to try an antic such as this.

‘You’ve waited too long, playing the concerned friend. Uchiha’s don’t wait. They claim their belongings, decorum be damned! Naruto’s belonged to you since before you both graduated. Remember your first kiss? Still you hedge? You are going to lose him, you idiot!’ His own formidable temper was reacting and responding to Naruto’s goading and teasing. His possessiveness would not let him go. Not now not ever and not even death would dare to interfere between an Uchiha and his quarry.

‘He’s a right to feel superior. Hell we know he is superior. There is no way you can compare, so don’t try! Even now, you didn’t even think about the fact that you could have killed him with your stupid idea.’ his inner devil taunted him evilly making him shiver. Anger bled from him like water down the drain as the truth froze his heart. With a grunt, he stood up wavering slightly.

“To hell with it.” He whispered, turned and started to limp away, ignoring the raven. In a blurry motion, the man in question moved from his previous position to stand just before the wavering blonde, while Naruto grunted in pain trying to stay upright. His body protested vehemently the abuse he’d put it through, making him curse his own weakness.

“It seems that on top of everything else, you have grown deaf and quite rude, dobe. You don’t run away after attempting suicide and murder of the last Uchiha.” The raven scoffed softly, using a tone that was sure to drive the other over the edge. “Before retreating just now, you were saying you were trying to leave and…?” he stressed the last word, pausing meaningfully.

Twin indigo flames burned into him but the pale mouth refused an answer. Sasuke felt his gut wrench when his eyes made contact with the thoroughly swollen and bitten lower lip. With a conscious effort, he tore his eyes from the tempting sight and concentrated in egging his unstable friend farther down the road to perdition.

“And?” he insisted, taunting Naruto with his own vagueness.

“Damn you, Teme!” the blond exploded unable to keep quiet after so much provocation. “you wanna know, eh? You can’t leave it at that, can you? Ok then. Have it your way.“ he shrugged and turned around with a mocking smile on his face. “Vanish, disappear, and dissolve into thin air… understand? We’re gonna evaporate, Ok! Free long suffering Konoha from the cursed monster that’s plagued it for the past 16 years! Understood? Even you, our long suffering Uchiha-sama would benefit from this, you know? With me gone you won’t have to waste your precious time babysitting a loser like me and everybody would be happy! You wouldn’t have to deal with a weakling like Naruto anymore! Think about it! It’s a win-win situation!” he spat furiously as he once more fell down to his knees.

“Tch. Naruto, your perceptions are as skewered as ever. It all sounds like a pity party to me. Get a hold of yourself for chrissake. I don’t know what you’re rambling about babysitting and curses. I just know that its all inside your head and it will all come to pass.” The raven started but was abruptly cut off by the blonde.

“Skewered perceptions? Pity Party? All inside my head? It will all come to pass? You sure talk like somebody who actually knows something when you really don’t! How dare you! You have no idea what it feels like to be physically hurt by someone you trusted! Don’t look at me like that! Your brother, the Uchiha massacre and this are two completely different things!” he paused for a second trying to catch his breath and explain while his audience tensed visibly.

“Naruto… Don’t.” Sasuke warned as his countenance turned increasingly dark. Still, the blonde pressed on, after all he had a death wish.

“It is true you have suffered the unforgivable betrayal of losing your family at the hands of one you called brother, true. You’ve experienced first hand the impotence and rage of knowing he was stronger than you, faster than you, better than you and the pain of knowing you could do nothing but stare into their eyes as they died.” His voice fell to a mere whisper as if imagining the horrible images currently running through, his voice gaining intensity with every word.

“Yet you have no idea of the helplessness, the anger, the pain that raged inside my mind with each passing second. You don’t understand what it means to be sullied until you forget what it means to be clean again! To feel less than human! You’ve never had to go through something like that! You’re the last fucking Uchiha, for fuck’s sake!” he panted angrily, the veins on his neck bulging with effort to contain the rage that threatened to smother him.

“Naruto…” Sasuke stepped forward trying to stem the flood of words that spewed forth from his friend’s until now quiescent mouth. He feared that by the time he finished there would be nothing left of him to recover. All of a sudden, like a violent summer storm, it subsided, leaving an eerie calm in its wake. Sasuke felt the hairs on his neck rise in response to the malignant atmosphere that seemed to surround them both as the blonde lifted his gaze to inspect him with an insolent grin.

“Don’t you see? Geez, you are supposed to be one of the Leaf’s most brilliant minds! Don’t disappoint me, ne? If Konohagakure ever got wind of this, they would rejoice and dance with glee! The demon finally got what he deserved!” Harsh laughter tore at Sasuke’s heart for it was a cruel mimicry of the cheerful, boyish laughter he cherished. He closed his eyes trying to keep his own pain at bay. It would not do to show his weakness before this Naruto. The man rambled on completely unaware; prancing on a sickly body that tottered in the edge of collapse but never fell.

“Heh, those people… their only regret would be that he survived. Who was stupid enough to let him live? They should have finished the job!” he deepened his voice mockingly, in a frighteningly good imitation of some of the most radical Kyuubi haters the village had. ”It’s a good thing the damned Kyuubi brat was put in its place though! Such a shame he was not killed in the process!” He fell silent, standing before Sasuke who opened his eyes to make contact. Immediately he regretted his actions for what he saw there scared him.

‘He’d gone. He’s utterly gone off the deep edge. God’s what have you done, Naruto! Damn you Sakura!’ he cursed rabidly inside his mind, watching helplessly as his friend continued his monologue with a coquettish pout.

“Face it, Sasuke! He was raped! Again! Only this time it was not a gang of bored genin out for trouble. This time it was done by two of the fucking kunoichi that he stupidly called friends! How do you think that makes him feel?” the spitefully angry voice so unlike Naruto trumpeted his challenge uncaring if he pushed the raven too far.

”What do you think that makes me? Huh? A fucking loser who is not worthy to be called a ninja! We were overpowered! I don’t even remember how I got there on the first place! One minute, I was there opening the door for Sakura-chan… Next I knew… I… we… he was there… lying naked on his back and they were… touching… don’t please… Ino… Sakura… Why? Why?” His petulant voice faltered wrapping his arms around his cold body, his bruised gaze and broken voice signaled the return of memories he tried to keep at bay with everything he had.

‘We? He? I? What was this? Is Naruto disassociating himself from reality in such a degree he’s creating another whole self to deal with his trauma? What the hell did Tsunade say about this?’ Sasuke approached his dobe carefully, like one approaching a scared animal.

Naruto whimpered pitifully as his gaze turned inwards once again and his lips were caught between his teeth. Unable to stop himself he wrapped his arms around a stiff blonde, who struggled mightily to be released.

“There, there… you are not in the shack any more. You are with me, the Uchiha. Ino’s not here. Sakura’s not here. Neither can hurt any of you any longer. I won’t let them, I swear.” He rocked the blonde slowly, caressing his back lightly until the shivering whimpers subsided to a sudden halt and a soft mocking laughter burst from Naruto’s lips.

“Gods, he’s just a shadow of himself and you still want to take care of him? You still want us to take it easy? He is not worth it! What do you think I am made of? Stone? A bunshin? He is weak. I am here to see he rests.” he paused for a second to straighten and catch his breath. Sasuke’s face tightened with resolve but he was too tired to care.

“You still want to share something else? Go on.” Sasuke replied calmly, arms still wrapped around the frail figure. The man before him was truly a shadow of his once proud and hyper friend. Even so, he was glad that much remained. It didn’t matter if his words cut his heart to pieces and angered him beyond words. This was Naruto. This man could take the worst life had to offer and be reborn again.

“I am sick of being afraid, of being a burden, of being a victim. I am sick of living… And you, I’m sick of you too! You with your porcelain face, perfect grades, brilliant mind and impeccable genius! I always found myself being compared to you and every time I was found wanting. Defective.” This he whispered against Sasuke’s chest, as if the shame he felt was so vast he only dared to mouth the words against his skin.

“Dobe…” he warned, clearly too angry to say more. The blond ignored the signals, pushing ahead heedlessly.

“This would’ve never happened to you! They would never have raped you! Nobody would dare to touch you because you are too powerful… even with your chicken butt hair you were too perfect! You ex-missing-nin- soon-to-be-Anbu-Captain, you! and oh, better not forget your avid fan-girls who wouldn’t hesitate to pulverize anyone who dared to think of harming you in any way… For you are their precious last Uchiha… with the all important Uchiha Family jewels - complete with hairy Uchiha balls filled to the brim with itsy-bitsy last-Uchiha-making-seeds that must-not-be-lost! Perish the thought, Uchiha-san! No harm must befall you or them! We shall protect them while there is life in our bodies or inside our ovaries!” Saying this, his eyes turned inwards and he turned coy and shy, batting his lashes while gushing sarcastically in a breathless falsetto in a perfect imitation of his most rabid fan-girls. The raven bit his lip, shivering with distaste, remembering countless encounters with brainless females such as the ones he was depicting. He had the grace to blush and look aside with embarrassment. Still a chest-deep curse in the same forced falsetto brought his attention back to Naruto like nothing else could.

“How much for a fuck? Why you want to fuck me? You want to have sex with me, you say? Ha, ha, ha, he wants to have sex with me, you hear? The demon child wants to have… you have money you say? Money? What do I want money from the likes of you for? How dare you, monster! Get away from my sight!” a long pause that had a pale Naruto blushing to the roots of his hair where he stood. Sasuke blushed to, easily imagining what had happened.

“Get it straight. I may be a whore, mister, but even whores have standards, you freak! I wouldn’t bed you even if you were the only thing between me and starvation! You know what you can do with your money, right? Shove it up your ass. You want sex? Go to the woods and fuck a wild fox like yourself for all I care, you animal!” His falsetto voice spat self-righteously, as his disgusted expression transformed into a mask of repugnant distaste. His sweet mouth twisted into a hateful line as he spat to the side, rearranging an imaginary bust line and flicked away imaginary dirt, as if the sole idea of Naruto’s nearness would somehow bring death and disease to those around him.

“The sole idea of having you and your filthy cum inside my body makes my skin crawl! Yuck! Off with you, you diseased animal! Well? What are you waiting for? My other paying clients will not approach me if you stand there. Move it, demon brat. I already gave you my answer.”

‘Naruto! How many times have you seen this? How many times? How long have you suffered in silence? Why?’ he wondered. He was worried. For the first time since he’d left the house to pursue his quarry, he was actually worried. This Uzumaki was changing moods so fast he almost felt the need to activate his sharingan to see if he could predict his next move. This was not good.

“You are so good, so perfect! Uchiha-san!... You’d never understand! You’re too far removed from my reality to really understand my world!” he glared at Sasuke, his eyes full of self-directed hatred and self loathing.

“And why won’t you try to explain if I am such a prodigy?” Sasuke murmured with a patronizing tone that was sure to push the other over the edge.

“Um… Lemme make it straight… so that you will understand this loser’s ramblings… Let’s see… yes… ok… It’s as simple as this, Uchiha. I want to die and you won’t let me! I try to disappear and you keep hounding me! You’ve got to stop! Stop following me! Stop nursing me! Stop acting like you care! I don’t need your or anybody else’s pity! Damn you!” he spat hoarsely, face red as his mouth spewed the venom that festered inside his heart for so long.

“Is that it? Are you done? So if you are released from life then you will be at ease? Is that it?” The Uchiha queried calmly; maybe a bit too calmly.

‘This asshole doesn’t understand! He doesn’t understand!’ he struggled incensed. ‘I told you he wouldn’t. My plan was better. Let’s go.’ His tired body received the signals his brain sent but did nothing to follow through: Such was his exhaustion. ‘We’re screwed.’ Commented one succinctly.


“Fuck you, teme!” Naruto spat, pushing away from the warm cocoon of Sasuke’s arms. “I’m outta here!” How he expected to free himself and actually walk away was not something he had completely thought about but Sasuke chose that moment to implement his plan.

Lightning quick a hand shot out from out of nowhere and caught his wounded wrist within an iron grip. The blonde gasped as he was once again turned forcefully into the embrace, his shoulder almost wrenched off its socket.

“If you are finished with your drivel, it’s only polite to hear me out, ne? After all, I just spent the majority of the last 2 hours doing just that.” a deep voice commented sarcastically as he stood, made a few hand-signs and threw a bound Naruto over his shoulder. With a smile he started to make his way towards the Uchiha compound.

“Lemme go! Damn it! It hurts!” he struggled trying to get the Uchiha’s grip to ease a bit. His arm felt on fire and he could see his bandages start to bleed through. The raven continued pulling him along, ignoring his cries of pain and efforts to free himself. He walked with single-minded concentration towards a place only he knew of.

“You want to talk about life and death, sex and impotence, family and orphan-hood, male and female, master and slave, poverty and riches, perfection and imperfection, good and wrong, love and hatred, caring and uncaring, coldness and tenderness, power and weakness… should I go on?” he commented calmly as one discussing the weather while he ignored the threats and rants his captive dispensed from somewhere over his shoulder.

“Careful with your head.” He stated with cool detachment as he lifted the trapdoor that led to the secret basement of the Uchiha compound. He had planned on doing this sometime after Naruto was better but apparently his hedging had almost cost him too much. He was glad Naruto had insisted on not doing any kind of exercise. That stubborn denial had saved his dobe’s life today and he wouldn’t get another chance. With a fond pat on Naruto’s butt that certainly got his attention and silence, he proceeded to explain.

“Dobe. I expected to show you this at a later date. When you were feeling better, you know, more like yourself…” he started to explain.

“Like he’ll ever be” commented an irritated Naruto from behind him. A hard hand thwacked him on his left buttock hard, making his body tense. “Ouch! Hey! How dare you!”

Another hard thump on the right one had him struggling harder. Slap, Slap! One on each butt cheek in quick succession made him understand that silence and compliance was the order of things just then.

“As I was saying before being sorely interrupted, I wanted to show you this later on. This is the Secret Uchiha Basement. Here we…”

“Perform all kinds of kinky rituals and eat your babies raw.” Naruto couldn’t help but add. The real Naruto was too tired and distraught to face Sasuke right now, so he was out right now. This was the first time this had happened. True to form that comment earned him four good spanks and a good long rub.

‘Did I just thought ‘good’?’ Naruto thought with a badly repressed shiver.

“I am glad your ninja instincts are still alive and kicking, dobe.”

“You keep that up and the only thing left alive and kicking after I finish with you will be me.” The blonde threatened angrily and was swiftly punished with four more swats to his bottom. “Damn you! That hurts!”

“You wanted to be punished if I am not mistaken!” Sasuke drawled easily setting his precious cargo on the oval table where all the Uchiha rituals usually took place.

The blonde was slow to move as his energies were completely depleted. With a satisfied smirk he used his chakra to bind the blonde’s hands and feet to the small table.

“Somehow this feels familiar, ne? Kinky! It excites you, ne? I knew you wanted to try this from the moment you hear he was raped!” A swift slap diverted that idea from this Naruto’s mind. “Ok, maybe that was way off the mark but I am sure he will not appreciate it if he were to awaken right now, you know?” Naruto warned with an edge of nervousness looking around at the room’s tall candles and Uchiha decorations.

“Make sure he doesn’t then. This conversation is between you and me. I have a deal to strike with you and only with you.” He whispered seductively into Naruto’s ear before catching his earlobe and biting hard enough to draw blood.

Naruto hissed and nodded in agreement biting back a moan. “He needs to be punished. It’s his fault he was fooled. I told him so. He was stupid.” He pouted, looking peeved at being tied.

“But why destroy him, when I can mete out all the punishment he deserves for being such a inept ninja?” he asked reasonably, sliding his hands under the thin yukata and dragging his nails over thin thighs.

“Ohhh… you really know how to make it hurt. Maybe you will work fine. He was really stupid. He believed them. I told him not to believe. He opened the door to the pink haired kunoichi and when she did the last hand signal I knew we were done for. He still believed she was playing a prank. So stupid! Can you imagine! He must be punished!” he confided softly, his flushed face a study of pleasure and pain under Sasuke’s knowledgeable hands.

“How do you want me to punish him? Remember that killing him will only cut the fun short. You want me to make him pay for being so trusting. You want him to stop believing in others and start looking for himself. You want him to do what?” he asked softly, starting to understand what was going on. This Naruto was the sardonic, distrustful side. The one he repressed ruthlessly and never let anybody see. The one he hid from everybody because it would never fit with his way of the ninja. It was the person that he could have grown up to be if he was not so stubbornly positive and cheerful.

“He has to stop thinking everybody will come to see his side of the matter some day! He has to learn that sometimes it is not possible to make others come to terms with their own jealousy! You are the reason he was almost killed! It was not his fault! Yet he never blamed you, bastard! He blamed himself! I should kill you! Not him! Yet the stupid ass prefers to kill himself than to get himself some justice! I want justice for myself! I want those who hurt him to suffer! I want to bathe in their blood! I want to see them cry and beg like he did! I want to tear the skin off their backs with my nails and teeth! I want to see their shame and snot! I want them to pee their beds with their nightmares every time they relive their attacks! I want them to have nightmares! I want to kick their faces and fuck their battered bodies then ram my cock down their throats until they can’t breathe! I want them to wish for death with such devotion that it’s the only thing they can think of! And when they die… I want to hang up their bodies for all to see… This is what happens to Naruto’s enemies! I want revenge… short and sweet!” he paused to catch his breath, his red cheeks and fiery eyes belying his frailness and his bonds. Sasuke shook his head. He had his work cut out for him. This side was as stubborn as the cheerful persona.

“And what’s stopping you?” he asked softly, raking his nails down Naruto’s soft inner thighs before tugging softly at the downy fuzz at the base of Naruto’s cock.

“This fucking bimbo doesn’t want to hurt anybody! He insists that if anybody should die it should be him! He says that it’s his fault! That he should’ve known better! That’s why I went along with his wishes… after all… the one opinion he cares over all of the rest is yours. Gods! Yeah… that got your attention, did it! Yeah! I told him! Serves you right! You fag! You, who got reamed in the ass by a chick! Should have killed yourself when you had the chance!” a swift slap stopped the direction the words were taking and the blonde spat and glared in his direction. “Now give me a good reason for that one.”

“I can punish him. And I can also punish you. You have no right to tell him he should die. You have no right to call him fag and you have no right to tell somebody else of his feelings if he doesn’t want you to.” He informed him calmly, slapping his thigh sharply before massaging it sensuously, making Naruto moan appreciatively. The only way to get both sides to react in unison was to get them both to experience both pleasure and pain, punishment and safety together. This Naruto had to understand he was safe. That Naruto was safe and nothing was ever going to happen to them. Ever. Sasuke smiled wickedly before once again spanking the blonde’s rump, hard.

“What the hell! Fuck you! Asshole! I can and will do what I want! You can’t control me! He’s weak and a loser! I am the new Naruto and I’ll dominate over…” another slap to his other cheek silenced him again.

“You’ll not dominate over anything. I will. I am your master. You are mine. Naruto is mine. Mine to punish and protect. Mine to cherish and molest. To me, he is innocent. Pure. And you need to be taught a lesson and I’m just the man to do so.” He growled menacingly cutting away the soiled yukata and exposing Naruto’s healing body.

“You say it would have never happened to you? Look at how easy I have you dominated! Look at how powerless you are!” Sasuke taunted as the smaller blonde struggled against the chakra bindings that kept him in place. He ran warm hands over his cold body keeping his body under rigid control at all times. ‘Now’s not the time to forget yourself Sasuke. Stake your claim but don’t traumatize him!’ His body cried with frustration. Lust tore at his belly with razor sharp talons but he ruthlessly kept himself at bay.

“Lemme go! You asshole! I’m not weak! You are not my master! Lemme go!” The blonde screamed as Sasuke slapped his chest and pinched his nipples expertly. His hands roamed the pale, trembling body that reacted swiftly to his rough caresses.

“It seems to me you are under my control already. Naruto doesn’t need you. He has me for revenge. He has me for punishment. He has me for love. He has me for protection. It will never happen. He will never be attacked as he was when you were with him. You can go now. You are not needed.” He whispered softly, letting go of the chakra bonds and gathering his trembling blonde between his arms with all the tenderness he could muster.

“You swear you will not let it happen again? We couldn’t survive if it happened again. We made Kyuubi promise to kill us if it did. You are strong. I trust you, so what are you waiting for? Kiss us!” Naruto whispered with a bratty grin and offered his mouth for a kiss that Sasuke didn’t hesitate to deliver.

It was wet, hot and tender. Naruto felt warm and safe as awareness slowly returned to his body. Slowly his mind registered his arms were wrapped tightly around somebody else’s neck. Somehow that failed to alarm him as his mouth was plundered by a knowing tongue that coaxed his own into coming out to play. His body felt like a flower blooming slowly, his nose registering a pleasingly spicy scent that sent warm currents of desire to his belly.

Gasping for air after a while, those expert hands that caressed his back started to draw circles on his shoulders while magic lips wrought magic on his neck, ears and cheeks. Desire made his body tremble for the first time and he found himself at a loss on what to do. His heart hammered away inside his breast and he extended timid hands to touch hard shoulders and chest of the man kissing him. A heart felt moan greeted his timid efforts and his name. “Naruto!”

He tensed, poised for flight. “Sasuke?”

“Oh, gods, Naruto… Don’t move… Wait! Hold on…” A desperate sounding Sasuke whispered against Naruto’s neck, making him something inside his body ache with emptiness. Red-faced and ashamed, he tried to free himself but stilled upon hearing Sasuke’s deep moan.

“I think I will need to take a really cold bath after this… Let me help you go to your room, ne? I promise not to touch you unless you want me to. ok?” Sasuke commented ruefully, with a ruddy glow in his cheeks. Naruto looked away, his embarrassment patent in his own reddened cheeks. He had an inkling of what his friend had almost experienced but he still felt tight and incomplete.

‘I can’t believe I reacted to Sasuke’s kiss!’ he thought with a weird mix of chagrin and embarrassment as he hobbled towards his room completely exhausted, followed by a chastised Sasuke who sported an uncomfortable looking bulge inside his pants. The blonde felt curiously tired and detached from the whole incident. It produced no great fear or distress inside his heart so with a shrug he chose not to dwell too hard on the situation.

The Uchiha mansion main door chime tinkled and making Sasuke frown.

“Go on, I’ll go see who it is.” He turned wondering who was it that dared to interrupt his time with Naruto at this time of night. The blonde continued heedlessly towards the first room he found available. He was too tired to think.

‘Maybe tomorrow I will be beside myself with anguish and embarrassment. Sleep will clear some of it for sure. Tonight’s too much already. I’m sleepy.’ He yawned, rubbing his eyes childishly, stumbling into his room and falling into bed.

Stepping in front of the door, the raven noticed with a disgusted frown the familiar chakra of Sakura. ‘How dare she!’ he growled. Deciding immediately not to let Naruto know she was there, he let himself out of the house instead of letting her inside the house.

“What do you want?” he asked curtly.

She blanched. His attitude had never been so blatantly rude before. Still, since it was so late, it was normal for the Uchiha to be like this in his own territory. ‘I knew I should have waited to come tomorrow morning. But I wanted to talk to Naruto as soon as possible and tomorrow might be too late!’ she whined inside her mind.

“Eto… Sasuke-kun… I came to visit Naruto-kun and see how he was coming along with his recuperation. I brought some ramen and some soup.” She babbled on trying to be as casual as possible. She was desperate to talk to Naruto and this might be her only chance to explain. Sasuke’s eyes narrowed.

“How he’s doing? And why do you think he is ill? You know he almost never gets sick and why would he be here of all places?” he countered easily setting the trap for her to fall into. She danced skittishly from one foot to the other, shifting her weight nervously.

“Um… I heard Ino and Kiba say he was not eating and acting all weird… so he has to be sick. So I went to his house and he is not there. So it follows he has to be with you. Also, um… also… I asked Tsunade-sama and she said he was ill… and that he was to eat soft things… yeah… that.” She nodded happily unaware of having sealed her fate with her thoughtless words. Sasuke felt rage suffuse his soul, wondering distantly if they would blame him if he killed her before the trial.

“Haruno-san… I suggest you leave my property immediately before I call the ANBU and have you arrested under suspicions of attempted murder, torture and rape of a fellow nin.” He had the satisfaction to see her face blanch and her step falter while the basket fell to the floor from her suddenly nerveless fingers.

“Surely you jest, Sasuke-kun. Why… I would… Rape? Murder? I? I am Tsunade-san’s assistant and Lee’s girlfriend… I would never!” she stammered, trying to deny the charges and failing to do so.

“I know what you did to Naruto and who your accomplice was. It’s only a matter of time before we gather the proof you clumsily left behind. It will be with utmost satisfaction that I will personally see you both thrown into jail for a long, long time, Haruno-san; for I never thought you would fall so low as to attack a teammate for such a petty reason. Especially when you knew never stood a chance. You know I despise your kind.” He finished cruelly before turning and entering his house, leaving her before his doorstep. Desperation lent her strength and she attacked the door.

“Please! Please! It was all Ino’s idea! Please! Lemme explain! Naruto! Naruto! I know you can hear me! Please forgive me! I am sorry! I love you! You are my friend I love you! Please! I am sorry! I don’t want to go to jail! Please! Forgive me!” She cried pounding on the door and hoping against all hope that Sasuke would find it within himself to let her talk to Naruto. She was sure if she talked to him, he would forgive him and all would be better. He would surely forgive her. She was, after all a victim too.

“They’ll be here in 10 minutes tops, Haruno. Move it before I’m tempted to kill you myself.” He warned from inside and she saw the messenger pigeon leave. There would be no forgiveness, no easy way out. Upon hearing that, she was paralyzed. Unable to leave, unable to talk, unable to do more than repeat his words inside her brain.

‘He knows…they can’t do this to me! He knows… Sasuke knows what we did to Naruto… Ino promised he would never know! Naruto you must forgive me! He knows…he knows…he knows… Naruto you must forgive!’ her mind ran in circles as time shifted over her.

‘The 10 minutes are almost over! Move! We must tell Ino! They know! Move! Let’s go!’ with difficulty she straightened her leaden limbs and dragged herself from the Uchiha property, teleporting clumsily just in time to avoid a pair of ANBU ops summoned by Sasuke.

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Finally !!!!! Sakura and Ino you are in the pits!!! your suffering is really near!! nyah!!! *dances!!!* I promise to update a story every 3 to 4 weeks because my chapters are really long... no more dry periods... my characters are on a strike... they dont let me sleep!!!! so, I hope you like... this is 8,082 words long... maybe its good.. maybe not... hope you like...

09/18/07 - after a revision to correct a few things I didn't like... went up to 8,354... I must stop reviewing this thing! Gods!!!