Killing Me Softly

VII

Sasuke followed the thing at a distance, fighting to keep from snarling. The man – for no woman walked like she had lead feet – sauntered down the street, unaware of the stares he was getting. It wouldn’t have been so bad if the moron was trying to be inconspicuous, but he was giggling at every little thing. What pissed Sasuke off was what the bastard was wearing.

Sasuke silently moved closer, watching his target. The Temari-skin was stretched haphazardly over the prey’s body as if he’d been in a hurry to put the gruesome thing on. He scented a familiar scent from the human and bared his teeth as his anger reached its peak.

No wonder no one could blame her. No wonder she faked her death. She’d created a thrall, a human who was so blinded by desire that he would become a pet for a price. The thrall would do her bidding, would follow her every order without fail. Well, this thrall had just met his end.

Sasuke tailed the thrall through most of downtown, keeping close but in the shadows, putting all of his old shinobi skills to good use. Finally the thrall turned into an abandoned lot and Sasuke swooped down, landing soundlessly behind the human. He took a few steps forward, unsheathing Kusunagi as he id so, and marked where he wanted to strike. The thrall screamed in agony as Kusunagi bit through his shoulder at an angle, lodging against his scapula. Sasuke turned the blade with every bit of viciousness he could muster and tore his weapon out the man’s side, leaving his right arm useless. Not that it mattered much, for Sasuke followed his sword strike with a kick sending the man into the ground. Sharingan eyes whirling, Sasuke slammed Kusunagi into the pavement by the thrall’s head and crouched over his chest.

“Let’s start with an easy question,” Sasuke murmured. “Who are you?”

The thrall whimpered. “My master will make you pay!”

A kunai rested gently against the thrall’s throat. I won’t ask again.”

The thrall’s throat worked. “Mihara Shunsuke.”

“Well, Shunsuke, I estimate you have about a half hour before you bleed to death. So if you want to live, I suggest you tell me what the hell your master thinks she’s doing.”

“It’s your fault,” Shunsuke sneered. “Master is ridding the world of monsters. Your little blonde friend, he’s next.”

“I highly doubt that.” Sasuke deadpanned. “Sakura’s no fool. She’d have to break Naruto first.”

Shunsuke giggled. “Who’s to say she hasn’t?”

Sasuke’s hand twitched. Shunsuke howled as his throat was sliced. “Naruto’s the last person she’d want to incite. So, are you going to keep bullshitting or shall I tear your throat out right now?”

“You wouldn’t.”

“I’d even use my bare hand.”

Shunsuke began to talk, hurriedly, but Sasuke’s mind had already been made up. When the last syllable left the thrall’s moth Sasuke pulled Kusunagi back and sheathed her, casually tossing the kunai over and over in his hand. Shunsuke made to scrabble his way to freedom and found himself staring at his own body, wondering for a moment what exactly had happened.
Sasuke tossed the head onto the body, wiping his fingers and weaponry of blood. He rose then and turned for his next target, hurrying before she made another move. Pawn to queen, indeed.


“Sasuke’s a big boy.” Naruto muttered to himself, “He doesn’t need anyone to back him up.”

There was a snort in his head, but Kyuubi wisely kept his mouth shut. Naruto was already in a bad mood; no need to incite the blonde further. Kyuubi watched his mate prepare a nice dinner for the four that were left in the apartment, knowing the boy was worried for his friend. Kyuubi really couldn’t understand why, but then, Naruto was an enigma in and of himself. Kyuubi resolved to show his kit that worrying was just going to upset him further.

After dinner of course.

Kyuubi felt a wave of sadness come from his kit’s side of their link and wondered what he’d done now. But he knew this kind of sadness. This sadness was what happened when you knew your loved ones weren’t coming back, when you knew you were going to have to do something to bring back the illusion of peace.

“Hey,” Kyuubi called gently, “when this is over, why don’t we move in with Shino and Kiba?”

“They’ll make you work,” Naruto replied with a thing of a smile.

Kyuubi circled around the counter to wrap his arms around his kit’s waist and nibbled at his neck. “I wouldn’t mind.”

“And Kankurou and Gaara and Sasuke?”

“They could come too,” Kyuubi grumbled, tightening his hold on the smaller man. Naruto just laughed and rose up on his toes to kiss the biju’s lips. He pulled way before it could become something more and gave his permission for later with a little nip against Kyuubi’s pulse.

“Don’t worry too much about that damned Uchiha,” Kyuubi rumbled. “He’s survived this long. I doubt nothing short of a nuclear explosion will kill him.”


Truth was, something other than a nuclear explosion was killing him. Sasuke ducked and weaved, using the machinery in the old factory to aid in his retreat. He’d gone at her with everything he had and she still managed to deter every attack he’d tried. It wasn’t that he was hesitating – and he wasn’t – it was that she somehow knew what he was going to do before he did it.
Damn. He hated being predictable.

He crouched on a crane, Kusunagi’s blade darkened even more with blood, and waited. He couldn’t afford to think like an Uchiha. No, not just that, but he couldn’t think like a shinobi. He had to play dirty.

She came at him from below. Sasuke launched himself and threw a few kunai. One hit its mark in her stomach, but the others flew harmlessly wide. Not that he cared. He just needed to get her down and then he could take off her head.

Only problem was that Sakura wasn’t going down.

Shit. Sasuke’s side twinged and he felt blood begin to flow. He knew at once he was going to die, but not here. There was someone he needed to apologize to before he died.

“Why, Sakura?” Sasuke yelled, half hoping the echoes would confuse her. “Why do you kill your own friends?”

“Friends? Hah! What friend? They all pitied me because for you. Because I loved you and you loved him.”

Sasuke dodged her punch and blocked a kick before retreating again. He heard her snarl.

“If I can’t have you, no one will!”

“Killing everyone else isn’t going to help you.”

“No.” Sakura crooned from behind Sasuke. “But it makes me feel better.”

Sasuke disappeared in a puff of smoke and burning ozone, but the damage had already been close. Sakura merely licked her fingers clean and settled down to wait. He’d be back. After all, Sasuke didn’t want to die.