Yoru No Koishii

Ahhh! It won’t end! Too many plot kitties! *Runs around in circles until she finally falls down from dizziness.*

Demi: Cool, I want to do that too. *Starts running around in circles too.*

Trouble: *Watching aloofly.* Why haven’t I strangled him yet?

Hime: *nods.* Sometimes I wonder about those two.

Trouble: Only sometimes?

D’Ceandre: *Sits up.* I’m all right now. Well, I’m never really all right, but anyway… Here’s one that’ll probably make all those people who think Sasuke’s being an ass feel a little bit better.
And the Beta’d version. There are a few changes, but nothing that’s going to really affect anything if you don’t want to read it again, but hey, everything’s better the second time around, right? *Starts spinning around again, earning more strange looks from Trouble and Hime.*

******

“Naru-chan. Time for your needle.” I turn to frown at the white-haired man. I can almost fit a name to the face. Kabuno? No, Kabuto.

“Kabuto. Orochimaru.” I rub at my head, trying to remember. There’s another name floating in my memory, and something tells me it’s important.

“Sasuke?” I breathe. Yes, Sasuke. I can see an image, pale skin and dark eyes; black hair that I know will be soft and silky under my hand.

Then it all disappears in a burst of cool liquid, and I blink, wondering what I had been thinking of.

“Naru-chan?” It takes an effort for my eyes to focus on the white-haired man who’s standing beside me, and I let my gaze drop again, feeling a little dizzy.

“Come, Pet.” I let my head turn toward the new voice. Pet? That’s me, isn’t it? I stand, tumbling as my legs refuse to hold me.

“He’s still a bit unsteady. The sedative is probably making him a little dizzy too.” Who are they talking about?

Powerful hands lift me to my feet, and I try to get them to behave, but they refuse. Finally there’s a rush of air, and by the time it occurs to me to be frightened, I’m being held against a strong chest.

I remember now. I’m Master’s pet. But I frown as a shadowy form tickles my mind, someone like Master, but not. Gentler, softer.

My head starts to hurt and I banish the half-memory. It doesn’t matter.

Light and shadow sweep by in a confusing haze, and finally I close my eyes to try to dispel the dizziness they cause.

Brat.

A sleepy voice. I almost recognize it, but like the other times I’ve heard it, it fades before I can figure out where it’s coming from.

Master’s talking to someone, and I turn my head, trying to orient on the voice. A woman. Something makes me dislike the voice, and I can’t stop the little growl that rises in my throat.

“Hush.” It takes me a moment to realise Master’s slapped me, and I lower my head back onto his shoulder, ashamed that I’ve upset him.

Sasuke never hit me like that. Wait, who?

The memory’s gone, nothing left even to show it had been there. Master’s moving again and I just relax, feeling tired. And there’s still that little half memory that says something’s not right.

Brat. Wake up.

Who is that?

Everything suddenly goes dark, and I’m set down on a soft bed. Master’s bed. Which means I’m in Master’s room. Well, I suppose it could be called my room too, since I sleep here as well.

It takes me a moment to realise that Master’s left again. It doesn’t bother me; I’m often left alone in here. The door’s locked, so no one can come hurt me again.

Again? Why did I think that?

I stretch out on my back, staring into the darkness above me, just relaxing. My hand rises of its own accord, touching my throat as if looking for something there. It finds my collar, but the metal links don’t feel right.

Stupid human.

Damn it. Shut up. I blink, wondering where that surge of anger came from. I’m just so confused lately. And there’s still something missing.

Finally I manage to relax and fall asleep.

******

What is this place?

The whole room is dark, not that that surprises me, since it was dark when I went to sleep, but I’m sure this isn’t Master’s bedroom. And everything seems to be a lot more in focus then normal.

“Oi, Brat.” I turn and step back with a gasp at the sight of a huge golden gate, and two large red eyes behind it.

“Where am I?”

“You don’t remember.” There’s an evil chuckle. “Let me out and I’ll tell you.”

“Stupid fox. Like I’m going to fall for that.” This new voice sounds oddly familiar, and I turn again, to see a man standing in a pool of light.

“Who are you?”

“Baka. I’m you, of course.” The man does look like me, the same blonde hair, roughly cut and hanging to about his shoulders, bright blue eyes, and those three whisker marks on each cheek. But he’s different, too. While I wear the outfit Master had laid out this morning, a simple black kimono with red clouds on it, he wears black pants and a bright orange jacket with no collar on it. His wrists are bare, as opposed to the tight bracelets I wear, and a folded length of dark blue cloth, with a decorated metal piece on it, is tied around his forehead. His pose speaks of self-confidence and I have no doubt that he could be nearly as dangerous as Master, but the cheeky grin that crosses his face implies that he’s a lot more fun-loving, a trickster.

Then the view promptly changes, to the same man, but younger. There’s another boy next to him, but he’s blurry, and I can’t make out any features.

“I’m Uzumaki Naruto and I’m going to be Hokage one day. Believe it,” the blond exclaims.

“Baka.” That voice is familiar as well. It’s deeper, insulting, but in a friendly way, and for some reason it makes me happy to hear it.

It changes again, back to my copy.

“Sasuke’s going to be mad that you lost his choker,” he tells me. My hand rises to touch my throat again, and then I notice the last difference between me and my double. Where I wear Master’s choker chain, he wears a simple ribbon choker, obviously meant only as decoration, with a crystal pendant hanging from it.

“My choker.” Somehow, if I find that choker, everything will be all right, and I’ll remember the things that tease my mind. I step forward and reach out for it, but the man starts walking away. Frantic, I run after him, but though his pace stays the same, I can never catch him. I suddenly trip over something unseen, and fall.

“Pathetic.” A voice says, and I look up, to see red eyes with odd black marks in them. Those eyes are dangerous, though I’m not sure how. Then I’m suddenly being picked up and thrown through the air, to crash into what feels like a tree. There’s two loud snaps, and I scream at the pain. The dangerous eyes are coming closer, and I can’t move, can’t escape or fight.

******

“No!” I push myself up, staring around in fear. I suddenly remember everything, and when Itachi, who’s sitting at the desk in the corner, turns to look at me, I yelp and back away, accidentally falling off the bed.

“Baka.” He murmurs and stands. I’m already climbing to my own feet, wavering slightly as they debate on whether or not to hold me up, but finally they do. The room spins for a minute, and everything goes hazy.

Why am I fighting? Sasuke wouldn’t let anything bad happen.

No, but Sasuke’s not here.

Where is he? He should be back by now.

Itachi’s moving closer, and I back away as quickly as I can manage, my hands fumbling for something, anything. Suddenly there’s a knob and I turn it, tugging the door open and darting out into the hall, hoping for safety.

“Naru-chan?” I look up at Kabuto and step back, only to find myself tugged against Itachi, one of his arms wrapping around my chest, pinning my arms to my side, and the other sliding around my waist, to lift me up.

“No! What… Let me go, bastard.” Where’s Sasuke? Damn him, for leaving me here. What if he really doesn’t mean to come back? The choker’s gone now; did it come off because he doesn’t want me anymore?

“Hush, Naru-chan. You’ll hurt yourself more,” Kabuto cautions gently.

“You’ll be the one hurting when I get loose. Dammit, let me go!” No, Sasuke wouldn’t willingly give Itachi the Kyuubi -- it would just make him stronger, harder to kill. If the bastard decided he was tired of me, he’d just kill me to get the mangekyou. He’ll be back, right? I just have to stay until--

“Enough, Pet.” Itachi orders and I snarl over my shoulder at him.

“I’m not your pet, asshole.” I wriggle more, trying to get loose, until I shift off beam and a sudden sharp pain runs up my back. Wincing, I finally still, letting Itachi carry me through the halls to Kabuto’s infirmary.

Then I find out what they want to do with me.

“Forget it! I’m not going to let you pump me full of drugs again!” Itachi sits on the medical bed, his one arm still around my chest, holding me firmly in place. The other pulls one shoulder of the kimono down and then rises to clamp down over my mouth, to cut off my curses. I promptly bite it. Hard.

Amidst the chaos that follows, I manage to slip out of Itachi’s grasp, and head for the door. The remnants of the drug in my system pull me under again, and I blink, suddenly not sure what’s going on.

Then everything seems to tilt. I reach out to brace myself against something, and fingers intertwine themselves with mine. Startled, I look up, and stare.

“Dobe. Are you being difficult again?” I stare. Genjutsu. It has to be. But…

“Sasuke?” Maybe he’s come back? Damned drug; I can’t think.

“Baka. Who else would I be?” I shake my head and step away.

“No. It’s just a genjutsu.” I take another step back. But what if I’m wrong? “Dammit,” I yell. “This isn’t fair, Itachi.”

Invisible arms wrap around me and something pricks my skin.

“All’s fair in love and war, Naru-chan,” Itachi says, as the illusion fades, and my mind clouds over with the drug.

“Pet?” The man asks. It takes a moment for me to answer. There was something I was thinking about, something important. But it’s too hard to think about anything.

“Master?” He nods, looking vaguely satisfied.

“Keep an eye on him. I upped the dosage some. Probably the cracks in the restraints are letting more of the Kyuubi’s healing chakra through to clean his system out faster.” That white-haired man. I know him, don’t I?

“Hn. Come, Pet.” I turn to follow, my hand reaching for Master’s. Strange, why is it bandaged? He nudges me away, and I follow silently, my fingers tangling instead in the cloth of his shirt as an anchor. There’s something moving as we step out into the hall. People. Something about the one in the lead tickles my memory.

Black eyes. Black eyes are important, somehow.

What was I thinking? I look down, unsure.

“Naruto?” Master stops and I blink, lifting my head. That voice sounds familiar.

“Otouto. Did you find the Nibi?” I look up at Master, then back at the new person, concentrating. Yes, they look similar.

“Yes, Aniki.” Master’s brother sounds angry, and I wonder why. A girl suddenly hugs him from behind, and I find myself growling low in my throat.

“Hn. You know what to do with them.” Master turns away again, and I follow quietly, wondering why Master’s brother looks so upset. I glance back. He looks like Master, only… softer. Something whispers in my mind.

“Sas…” The thought’s gone, as quickly as it came. I turn away, confused again.

Oh well. It doesn’t matter.

******

Okay, there’s not really much there, but God, what I would pay to see Sasuke’s face right there.

And for those others who were worried, Naruto is going to be just fine, if you didn’t pick that up from here. Between the Kyuubi and Kabuto, I don’t see him having to worry about it too much. Besides, it can’t be a really major thing. The only one we’ve seen who’s ever been close to crippled was Lee, after all.

Harukaharuka: Ah, how cute. *Offers her some chocolate covered popcorn.*

ShinigamiTaishou: All foxes are cute. I want one. Preferably a blond one in his early twenties, but since I don’t see that happening anytime soon, a four-legged one would work as well.

Powder07blossom: Don’t worry. I don’t like unfinished fics either.
tsubaki-hana: Thank you. I do try to keep them IC as much as possible, since it annoys me to no end to see Sasuke all lovey-dovey and whatnot. (Shh. The lack of the mattress ruining is cause them scenes aren’t my favourite to write, they’re so hard. Don’t tell anyone, though.)
Truthfully, I didn’t like putting in the back injury thing much myself, but it gave an excuse for Itachi to drug him up, which is gonna lead to lots of fun, so all’s good.
And I will try to continue being quick about getting these up for you.

And my buddy Vox! *Gives her chocolate covered popcorn too.* Yeah, I just couldn’t resist that play on Itachi and Naruto.