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Kyuubi the Bitch	By : Lechan Category: Naruto > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 3775 -:- Recommendations : 3 -:- Currently Reading : 3
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 15
- 16
- 17
A.N. Okay, here it is. Sorry for the delay, Sasuke had issues and made me rewrite it, but now that his tantrum is over the rest should flow a lot faster. Please let me know what you think of this.

Kyuubi the Bitch

Sasuke

Chapter 8: Achievements and Goals

He would later blame it on the unnerving feeling of being watched, which of course he blamed on Kakashi because the Jounin would send a summon to keep tabs on him, and therefore he blamed the bastard, for his slip.
            “Now that’s a stupid name.” Suigetsu said with his head tilted a little to the side, examining the placard as though it should change itself for him and ease his displeasure. It didn’t of course, but he tried it all the same. “You think they named it after someone?”
            Sasuke couldn’t quite respond himself as he stood before the bridge that had been little more than a half completed project the last time he’d seen it, and at the time it had had no name.

            ‘The Great Naruto Uzumaki Bridge’

            Huh. Look at that dobe, your immortalized as a bridge that connects the island to the main land. The amusement he felt at that thought was fleeting and was swiftly taken over by a flood of warmth. This place had symbolized so much for the both of them, and now they had left their mark as clearly as the memories had.
            “You’re doing that freaky inner smile thing again…” Suigetsu looked between him and the sign several times. “You know the person named this?”
            “Hn.” Sasuke shook his head and schooled his features into a blank mask before trudging on. Suigetsu could debate all he wanted, but Sasuke had already decided that he wouldn’t willingly tell him anything about Naruto. They were together for the sole purpose of vengeance. Once their goals were accomplished—or at least until Sasuke had led the solid-challenged teen to the Samehada, which if Kisame was still with Itachi, would be a side note to his own agenda—they had no reason to remain together. Suigetsu was not a permanent fixture in his life, Naruto was.
So Suigetsu would just have to adjust to disappointment.
            “Oh. Well… that’s nice… man his parents must have hated him…”
            They just might have, to have left him with such a curse… Sasuke tried to shake the thought from his mind not all that interested in recalling the epiphany of Naruto’s parentage as it still served no purpose to him or their mission.
            “Can you imagine having to tote that around?” Suigetsu shuddered and then grinned to himself. “Though, makes you wonder what he did to get the bridge named after him…”
            Sasuke ignored the continued babble, and instead focused on the hallow noise his footfalls made upon the wood of the bridge. His eyes drifted down to watch his feet as echoes from a time long gone filled his ears.
Screams.
Laughter.
Ice.
Pain.
Friendship.
            This was where it had all started; his and Naruto’s first real step towards each other. They had danced around the topic, had seen and spoken a few brief times, but this mission—their first—had been the turning point of everything. Just as that first fateful meeting near the river when they were children had set them on a course that would define them.
            And now I’m thinking about him again… Sasuke let out a sigh.
            He’d done so well in pushing the blonde from his mind and into the safe haven of his subconscious thoughts since leaving Konoha. Naruto had held no place for the entirety of the trip, where he’d focused on plans that would guarantee the help of the other two members of his group, and different methods of attack he’d be most successful with. Not to mention the peculiar felling of being watched.
But that damned bridge had ruined it all.
            Now his thoughts were in disarray and useless tidbits kept pouring in. What was Naruto up to? Had it been a success—he had a feeling in his gut that it had been and he relied on that just because he could—had he told anyone yet? What would he think of this bridge?
            Probably laugh and strut around for several hours pointing out how this somehow made him a better candidate for Hokage. Sasuke felt himself almost smile at the thought, even as it was quickly followed by the memory of their confrontation before Orochimaru. Sasuke may have had doubts about Naruto’s dream ever becoming a reality, but in that moment when Naruto had asked him what good a Hokage was if he couldn’t even save a beloved friend; Sasuke knew that the Dobe would make it.
He had to.
            No one with that much conviction and moral pride could not. And now I’m being sentimental... Sasuke released his breath slowly through his nose. It would seem that the romanticized view that one tended to use in regards to those they loved were not Uchiha-proof. What that meant for him Sasuke feared. At the rate I’m going I might just grow a damned uterus…
            “Maybe he built this thing single handed. Naw, that’s just stupid… I mean who in their right mind would do that? But hell if my name was Fishcake Whirlpool(1), I’d probably be more prone to insanity too.” Suigetsu continued to guess on what it was that Naruto had accomplished and it only served to torment the raven haired man.
            Sasuke found himself reminiscing even as he tried not to. It was amazing how important the memories had become. Then again, perhaps it was all hindsight that made the memory as treasured; it seemed far more likely than not considering how irritated he had been at the time. Whatever the reason, Sasuke found it enthralling, and allowed just a moment of tender regard to pull him from reality.

            The room was dark. Sasuke was aware of that more than anything else, and focused on it as his body let him know that he was over heated, and in pain. His wounds from the day before—or was he missing more days then he thought? His time sense was all messed up and he had that dizzy, fuzzy sensation of having slept too long—ached and burned. His throat especially felt raw, and he was certain that if he tried to talk it would be raspy at best and breathy at worst. He wasn’t looking forward to testing it, and had already decided that he would be less social than normal—and mentally weighed the reactions and comments he’d have to endure with such an action— when he realized that his chest felt heavy.
            What the… I thought those wounds were treated all ready—Sasuke’s thoughts broke off abruptly and his eyes widened in astonishment when they fell upon a mop of gold. For several seconds, he was unable to fully comprehend what he was seeing, and then he couldn’t quite accept it as true. It was simply too odd; too out of character for the idiot. But… he did cry when he saw I was okay… Sasuke felt his cheeks heat at that reminder.
And now he just felt uncomfortable.
            Naruto, for all intents and purpose was sound asleep on his chest, his ear tilted as though listening to his heartbeat. He was still in his pajama’s and it was obvious from the awkward position he’d curled himself into—Sasuke made a mental note to tease him for his sleeping habits when the idiot was limping from the kinks in his spine later—that Naruto had needed the reassurance that he, that Sasuke, was alive, and had only relaxed enough to sleep when he had proof.
            Sasuke wanted to squirm. It felt too weird to have the idiot worry so much, and the close proximity to him made him uncomfortable. He’d never had anyone who really truly cared about his health, and the fact that the boy who randomly tried to attack him—both mentally, emotionally, and physically—at every turn was downright unnatural. Sasuke’s skin itched the longer he thought about it as though Naruto’s dobe-ness was catching and by being close to the idiot he’d lose his ability and mind. Sasuke frowned and shifted but found his wounds protested instantly and fell back with a hiss through clenched teeth.
Naruto didn’t budge.
            Sasuke felt mildly insulted, much the way he had when he’d first realized he was trapped on a team with the obnoxious, multiple failure who had kissed him in the middle of class, and like before, he felt a burning desire to beat the boy into a bloodied pulp. It was stupid, and irrational, and like everything else that concerned the blonde, Sasuke couldn’t stop the feeling.
            “Such a dobe…” Sasuke breathed out—and he was right it was almost inaudible—with a sneer. He slept like the dead. Shinobi needed to be alert at all times, this was just another way that Naruto was lacking. Still, Naruto had proven himself against Haku, and he had shown potential during that stupid exercise with chakra Kakashi had made them work on shortly after arriving (Sasuke was still astounded that Sakura had beat him at something, and silently placed that memory in the ‘It-never-happened-damn-it’ box). Begrudgingly, Sasuke admitted that perhaps Naruto wasn’t such a lost cause after all.
That in no way meant he wanted the other laying on him.
            With a grunt Sasuke shifted again, and through trial and error managed to lever himself free from the dead-weight with the equally dead sense of self-preservation. Sitting now, watching the other drool onto the blankets, Sasuke wondered what it was that made the boy fight so hard despite his obvious lack in ability and mental skill. He was useless, or he had been, and he wasn’t that amazing from what he had seen—he would not give Naruto credit for Haku’s defeat until he had proof that it had happened at all—and yet Naruto insisted that he would become Hokage. More than that, he truly believed it. That was more than Sasuke had even dared to do in regards to Itachi. He swore he would kill his brother, but did he truly believe himself capable of it?
            Sasuke frowned, his eyes narrowing as he watched the other sleep, those dopey features pulling up and into a smile that was as stupid as the rest of him and hated.
            He hated the blonde for his tenacity, his faith, his never ending dumb luck, and he hated himself for not being able to compare, more than that, for willingly choosing death for the idiot without even an attempted to take down Itachi. Sasuke’s fists shook and he contemplated hitting Naruto in his frustration but held back at the last minute.
            Once the other woke up there was no off-switch to his stupidity, and Sasuke didn’t want to listen to his babble and shouts, and definitely didn’t want to deal with him while animated. No, drooling and unconscious—though disgusting and irritating—was better than the alternative. Last thing he needed was a headache on top of everything else.
            Sasuke turned to look out the window in the room. It was early morning, and the haze from the water had yet to burn off. It made the morning chill and fantastical as he could hear the soft lapping of the waves as though he was looking out onto the River Styx.
            How could I have been so foolish? Sasuke thought, his lip curling in self disgust. Dying before Itachi. Stupid, and for what reason? To save this worthless, untalented Dobe who can’t even control his temper long enough to make a difference. Sasuke tasted his guilt and short comings on his tongue. It was bitter and acidic, much like his memories and Sasuke let the taste consume him, a reminder of how weak he was, and how far he had yet to go.
            If I can be brought down by this idiot… I have no chance of achieving my revenge…

            “I’m going to be Hokage! Just you watch me!”

            The blonde—as though hearing the memory Sasuke had entertained—made a sound in his sleep and flopped—not rolled, turned, or shifted, he flopped, like a dying fish—onto his back, his mouth wide open in a disturbing snort and then fell silent once more, as though he had died.
Sasuke could only wish.
            Naruto pissed him off, more than anyone else he knew. Sasuke hated him, and knew the other was almost unworthy of the air he breathed, and yet, he pushed him to be better—though Sasuke would rather kiss Sakura than admit it to anyone else—and that was something Sasuke needed. He needed to understand what power it was that forced Naruto to believe without a doubt in the impossible. Sasuke needed to understand and replicate the power that helped the idiot overcome the obstacles that should have destroyed him. He may hate it, but he could admit when he was lacking. Perhaps, I should focus on beating you first. Sasuke thought, his expression softening slightly; no longer a glare, but not quite a smirk, and nodded to himself. I won’t ever lose to you again. You’re not worth enough to defeat me in anything, Dobe. And I’ll make sure you see that. With that lingering thought, Sasuke slipped from the room, and when Naruto came out later, red faced and awkward, Sasuke pretended not to have noticed his presence.
After all, who wanted to remember that?

            Sasuke shook his head once more looking at his feet and couldn’t help the smile that curved his lips. To be able to think favorably of the one he loved, to be capable of feeling stupid and sappy and knowing that those feelings didn’t make him weak, was a gift he had never expected to own or to even understand. That was yet another lesson he owed the blonde, and he had no intention of shunning it now.
            Though, before he could fully entertain the idea of submersing himself in such nonsense he had to take out the threat to his life. Itachi was always there, a dark memory that threatened to wipe him out and consume him once more, and if he managed to get Naruto, he would. If that happened, Sasuke knew he would not recover from it. But the problems didn’t end with Itachi, no he was just the first immediate concern.
            Following Itachi’s impending death, he still had to deal with acclimating to the village, possibly raising a child, wooing Naruto, toppling the news of Naruto’s father and whether or not to bring it up, keeping an eye on team Hebi after they parted ways in case his connection caused problems with Konoha at a later date, as well as keeping an eye out for the Akatsuki. He doubted Itachi was the strongest in that group; it would be foolish to blindly believe that, just as believing that he was strong enough to defeat his brother on his own was suicidal.
            No, he doubted he’d ever be prepared to take on Itachi, if for no other reason than his memory made him out to be invincible. Though that may not be the reality, it remained in his mind and would leave him feeling inadequate for the rest of his life. That was why he needed Suigetsu, who would be motivated to distract Kisame, and with his unique capabilities it would keep his opponents on their toes and could possibly distract his brother. Karin, though bat-shit crazy, was useful for her chakra control, healing, and tracking abilities. Yes, finding Itachi would be far easier with her than without, and his brother would not expect that, nor would he be aware of how easily he could recover with her available. Jugo, now he was the real muscle behind Sasuke. His lack of control could prove far more useful than the other two, as his rage would guarantee him a victory against any mediocre ninja. Hell, Sasuke was willing to bet Jugo could keep Itachi busy when he truly lost himself in his bloodlust. It also helped that Jugo saw him as a replacement—or perhaps a shadow would be a better description—of that poor bastard, Kimimaro. His regard for that memory would ensure Sasuke’s protection in battle, as Jugo would not wish to relive the death again.
            Yes, he had chosen his team carefully, and with them he was certain he could defeat his brother. The rest of the Akatsuki members though, he doubted he could face them as easily or with any confidence. They would just have to wait for now. Though with how far Naruto has merged with Kyuubi, how could they even hope to separate them?
            Sasuke frowned, pulling up the vague memory he’d overheard from Orochimaru and mulling over the words carefully.

            “They need the Kyuubi to complete the circle, but it is useless with the demon and container in harmony. It is why the eight tailed beast has not been taken. They lack the ability to free what has been tamed. And without the lock, the key is useless.” Orochimaru’s voice sounded mildly bitter yet was mostly cynical as though enjoying a personal joke that had once stung him.
            Kabuto shifted closer, the bandages in his hands making a rustling sound that made Sasuke certain that the wounds his teacher had sustained from Naruto had been more serious than either had implied.
            Sasuke smirked, his chance to take down Orochimaru was fast approaching if he was correct, and it made his fingertips tingle with anxiousness, and Sasuke worked to fight the feeling down. This he could not rush.
            “Perhaps, but the Key will still be needed. It will be enough to keep them busy, and keep Naruto out of our way.” Kabuto didn’t sound entirely certain himself.
            “No, though the lack of control he showed would suggest that he would be an easy catch that is untrue. The others will be aware of that. Why else would he send Itachi after him?”
            Kabuto made a sound of agreement. Proof that whatever it was the Akatsuki was after, whatever reason they needed Itachi to hunt Naruto, the Medic Nin knew and did not need further explanation. So this discussion was an old one, reiterated for either Orochimaru’s own benefit, or because he was leading up to something the other had not yet become aware of.
The Snake loved to prod and hint to see what other’s may or may not know.
            “Yes, they will continue to believe that they can use the Nine-Tails for their goal, but they will be sadly mistaken.”
            “Orochimaru?” And there was the confusion.
            Sasuke could imagine the haughty look the snake would wear then. He loved having knowledge other’s lacked, he thrived off of it, which made him a great source of information. It also made Sasuke’s job easier. Orochimaru could be cryptic, but he certainly enjoyed bragging. It would be his downfall in the end.“… why did the beast stop at four?”
            “Excuse me?”
            “Tails. Why didn’t she rip free when the boy lost conscience thought?” He now sounded agitated and the scrap of bandages stilled.
            “Why not continue to the ninth and attain freedom.” Kabuto concluded, and Sasuke felt a shiver of apprehension dawn on him, as his mind clearly gave him the image from the Valley of the end, where Naruto stood engulfed in red chakra and blood, four tails clearly defined.
            Nine. Nine tales and Kyuubi would be all that was left… Sasuke tossed the thoughts away from him, aware that they would only distract from what he needed now, and refused to acknowledge them further.
It hadn’t happened.
It wouldn’t happen.
            Naruto was too proud to let it.
            “Precisely. She has never waited patiently, never listened to any but him.” Orochimaru paused as the wrapping continued. “… yet she hesitated.”
            “Maybe she is aware that she would be captured upon her escape. With Naruto it is less likely that she can be controlled.” There was a subtle insult to Naruto’s intelligence in the tone.
            “No.” It was a sharp sound, almost a hiss, and Sasuke slid further away in case he had been spotted. When the words continued Sasuke stilled his breath so that it barely disturbed the air around him. “No, the contract she can stomach, this should be intolerable.”
            Silence fell for so long, Sasuke began to assume the important facts had run dry, and he had nearly left when Orochimaru started up, his words hardly a whisper.
            “No, she cannot harm the boy. That is the only reason that makes sense.”
“But what would keep her from doing so? From all the blood and ash she certainly didn’t hold back from inflicting pain.”
“No, but she did not attempt to construct the fifth tail. Nor did she try for more when cornered.”
Kabuto made a considering huff and the sound of securing tape being ripped filled the air.
“She is the key, as such, she is powerful, and volatile she would not hold back unless she had no choice, and a key is rendered useless when it is damaged… adjusted… changed.”
            “She’s merging with him.” Kabuto’s response sounded both awed and revenant with sudden comprehension, filled with the same malicious glee Orochimaru’s had held before. “That makes the plan useless. If he cannot open the gate—“
            “He cannot change the world.” Orochimaru sounded smug then; pleased. “His grand schemes end here.” A bitter laugh. “Minato’s plan was well played, and he will continue to be the kink in the armor. I told them he was the one who needed to be killed before we set the plan in motion.”
            “Their loss is your gain.” Kabuto returned, and Sasuke retained a scowl as the conversation drifted from anything Sasuke wished to hear and he slipped away; just another shadow in the tunnels.

            Most of the conversation left more questions, but from what he could gather Sasuke knew Naruto, or at least Kyuubi, was the final piece needed and the most important at that. The Akatsuki could not let him be, but they could not use him either. What that meant, or if they knew of the turn of events Sasuke didn’t know, and that was why the group was on his list though not near the top.
            Orochimaru had implied that the group was unaware of Naruto’s merging with Kyuubi, but the snake had been known to be wrong before. Still, something told him that this time, the bastard was probably correct in his assumptions. Whether that was good or bad Sasuke couldn’t yet tell.
            Whatever they had planned there was still another out there that they needed to get before Naruto became an absolute necessity. Their plans were vague and seemed to imply some sort of political reform, unless Orochimaru had been literal in his words, and if that was the case, it was a problem that Tsunade needed to deal with, not him. Lastly, it appeared that Kyuubi hadn’t been completely truthful—shocker that—and though she posed a mental threat to Naruto, it appeared that she could not kill him completely as she would wish. He only hoped that Orochimaru’s hypothesis on this was correct, but again, that would have to be dealt with after Itachi.
            And before that, we need the sword.
He really had to stop thinking in circles.
            Maybe ‘dobe’ was catching…
            “Uchiha-san?” The questioning voice was curious and slightly timid. Sasuke pulled up short and looked up without much thought, and quickly wished he hadn’t when his eyes fell upon a pre-teen with messy dark hair and a very recognizable frown.
            “Inari-kun.”
            “What is it with you knowing people with food names?” Suigetsu asked, the words were light and joking, but the tone implied his unease with the situation. Sasuke was well aware of it as well, seeing as the more people that saw them the easier they could be tracked and/or avoided. Sasuke frowned as the small boy—who walked with far more assurance than before—came toward him, his face splitting into a smile. For a moment, Sasuke was unable to move as his mind took time to recall the memory of the child whose frown looked as though it was etched from marble upon his features, reconciling that to the grin now was almost impossible.
The moment cost him.
            “Why are you here? Is Naruto with you?” Inari looked around Sasuke at Suigetsu and then tilted to try and see if the blonde was hidden behind him. Sasuke blinked slowly as the child pulled back up to look at him in askance, his smile still wide. “Grandpa has been waiting for you to come through again. He said he didn’t want to bother you with a letter requesting your presence for nothing, but that you’d come through this area at some point, and here you are.”
            Suigetsu sounded like he was choking back a laugh and Sasuke pulled himself back together and faced the boy. His bright hopeful face was almost painful to look at, and again he remembered what it had been like when they had escorted the old man here and faced off with Zabuza and Haku.

            The pain was extensive, echoing from the numerous small wounds and the burn from the ice needles slowly melting inside of him. But, the pain was nothing compared to what he would feel if he fell here and his brother escaped the punishment his family cried out for.
            Sasuke glared, ignoring the slight tremble in his muscles and focused on his heartbeat and breathing, his eyes sharp and burning. The sensation alone would have told him his success in activating his bloodline’s technique, even if the quick comprehension of his thoughts and senses hadn’t already tipped him off, and it was thanks to that that he saw the shift of Haku’s focus.
            Naruto.
            He was going to kill him, and suddenly, Sasuke was moving. His feet threw chakra into the ground propelling him faster, farther, further, and nothing had been clearer in his mind than the fact that he couldn’t let Naruto die. He couldn’t say why, he would never be able to explain it, but something; the echo of his voice in his head calling out his name, the warmth that filled him when he realized that someone still knew him and not his last name, it was simply too precious to lose.
Not now.
Not like this.
            Sasuke pulled up in front of him and felt the bite of the needles through his body, and the warm bubble of his blood flowed out through his mouth and across his skin, and he felt nothing more than relief and a slight bitterness at the numb feeling creeping through him.
            So… this is it. I wasn’t strong enough to stop Itachi… Sasuke forced himself to remain standing and waited for the aching pain to fill him; the rage, the hurt, the anguish.

            “Sasuke!”

            Sasuke’s lips tilted up slightly as the remembered cry from the blonde fill him with comfort and those feelings couldn’t rise up to swallow him. But, I was strong enough to save him.
            Naruto shifted behind him waking up and Sasuke allowed himself to slump, his arms no longer able to feel, and felt content. His existence was not useless, he was not worthless, he had saved someone. At the very least he knew he had the strength to accomplish that at the very least, and maybe, that would be enough. Maybe.
But maybe, it didn’t matter either way.
            “Sasuke…”
As long as that voice kept calling out his name.

            “Uchiha-san?” Inari was watching him closely, eyes wide and worried, and Sasuke blinked the memory away and the conflicted feelings with them. This place was where he learned the meaning of friendship, and he had neglected to realize how powerful that could be. He should have been aware of it.
            “He is not here.”
            Inari jerked up, his smile losing some of its vibrancy. “Oh. Uh, where you headed? Does it have anything to do with the rogue Ninja’s that passed through last week?”
            Sasuke wasn’t sure what to make of that bit of insight, and briefly weighed the consequences against the information he could get from the kid. If it was Akatsuki—and he doubted it unless they were really getting sloppy—a head’s up to Tsunade would be nice, but most likely unnecessary. Konoha had survived without him for years, he had to start trusting the Anbu to do their job, and if it wasn’t Akatsuki, the ninja’s would be of little concern. Again, either way, Konoha would know about it probably before his summon even made it to the Hokage.
No, he could afford to letthis slide. He’d send a notice that a group of rouge Ninja’s were sighted in the Land of Waves. That would be sufficient if they were not aware of it.
“We’re on a trip that can’t be addressed at the moment. Can I count on you to keep this meeting secret?” Sasuke asked, even as he made the subtle movements that would allow him to perform a genjutsu. Inari seemed none the wiser, making the whole thing easier as he met Sasuke’s eyes trustingly.
            “Yeah! Of course, I won’t even tell gramps.” He said, once more beaming, and Sasuke smirked as the dimness settled over his features and he wandered into a dream. By the time he woke up, he would most likely believe the whole meeting nothing more than a dream.
            “Well, that could have been avoided… you’re slipping.” Suigetsu joked, falling into step with ease completely ignorant—or perhaps ignoring on purpose—Sasuke’s discontent. He shouldn’t have allowed that conversation, he shouldn’t have allowed his personal thoughts and memories to cloud his judgment. It was stupid and would be fatal. Gritting his teeth Sasuke began boxing it all back inside, securing his thoughts and memories behind the mental walls he’d created in Sound. Where they had been up until he’d seen the name of that stupid bridge.
            I cannot expect to do anything, or be of any use while my mind is so fragmented. Concentrating on his breathing, Sasuke blocked it all out, until the chill calm of reason and intent held him in its clawing fingers.
The rest of the trip to the gravesite was uneventful, and aside from the emotional excess Suigetsu made over the blade, the retrieval was as silent and clinical as ever, and then they were free from the land of waves. Sasuke barely glanced up as they crossed the bridge once more, and his thoughts stayed placid and focused. Sasuke was certain he was overreacting, hyperaware, but he swore he felt eyes watching him as he passed into the forest, eyes that he now couldn’t blame on Kakashi because they would have followed him into the Land of waves, and they had not. Taking the quickest route to their next destination where Karin would be, Sasuke kept alert and wary of the feeling. It would be best to gain her trust and allegiance before attempting to break out Jyugo.
Halfway to their destination, Sasuke felt a shadow of unease. Where it came from he couldn’t tell, and for a while he assumed that it was their follower, and when the sensation progressed steadily, Sasuke began altering their route. They paused randomly and doubled back around a few times. Suigetsu made no comment, proof that the feeling was not just in his mind, but no attack came, and each of his summons returned with neither incident nor information.
The one sent to Konoha never returned.
            Sasuke dared not send another, nor could he risk returning for more information on the group of ninja. It was irritating, but he would have to wait. Sooner or later his stalker would have to make a move, and when they did, Sasuke would make certain that they regretted it. He could wait till then for his answers.
The feeling of being watched lingered just as the unease grew until it was a palpable pressure against his skin, but the lack of a chakra signature and the easy noise of the forest around him ruled out any real threat.
Anything tangible at least.
            When they entered the lair Sasuke lost the feeling temporarily, focused as he was on his goals, and it wasn’t until they had left—Karin and Suigetsu bickering like children—for Jugo that Sasuke realized that the weight of eyes had dissipated. By then, he had no time for concern, and Jugo was in a killing mood upon their arrival, soon enough it was set aside completely.

-2-

            The doors had been drawn shut, turning the inside a subdued gold. It didn’t do much for the lighting, but it was enough to play by, and the child sat before the couch, face buried in his arms, counting slowly listening to the sounds of the house around him. It creaked and groaned as the building settled creating a calliope, but the harmonics were somehow comforting instead of frightening. Reaching the agreed upon number, the child pushed up with a sharp cry to alert the other player—currently hiding within the house—of his pursuit, and froze upon seeing the outline against the door.
            The man stood tall against the lightened doorway, a dark blemish against gold. His cloak—dark and stained—held the colors of his clan’s crest but their design—clouds stained red like the foreboding sky before a sea storm—made his stomach churn. Acid rushed up his throat and squeezed his heart as those pin-wheeled eyes focused on him after barely flickering around the room, his expression blank and unreadable.
            Outside the wind picked up a keening wail and the golden sun flickered as though jumping behind clouds. The child imagined that if he could see them they would have been the color of those eyes, and would remain just a cold.
            “Little brother, you have been busy.” The voice was like a coil of smoke, cloying, choking and acrid. The child shook and stepped back a half step. This person didn’t belong here, and yet, unlike the snake, the child could not hope to push this being out. He had destroyed the place once before, he was still apart of it, in the shadows and dark marks that still flickered into being when the sunlight hid.
Scared.
He was scared.
Those eyes sharpened and a frown marred the features there in. The expression made the child sick and his lower lips trembled and tears burned his eyes that he dared not blink. “So disappointing. Have you not even tried? You managed to defeat Orochimaru easily enough.” The figure glanced briefly toward the door where the serpentine tree would be if the doors had been left open. “Yet you fail to even face me?”
            The child trembled inside, torn between fear and sorrow, unable to make a move away or against the shadow whose very presence left a sullen stain upon the floor. His heart pounded brokenly, and he swore the very walls of the house trembled with its pace.
“How disappointing.” Those eyes pinned him to his place and held him captive, and then the sound from above resounded, like a glass wind chime the child felt himself grow cold and still. The other straightened up suddenly, that blood-like gaze lifting toward the sound an expression of surprised content clashing with the condemning aura that surrounded him.
            “Well, isn’t this fascinating.” The being said, his lips parting in a smile that held no warmth as his eyes lowering from where the sound of footfalls echoed, and the soft, distant sound of laughter drifted back to him. It was the motion of a monster, an Oni before it devoured its victim whole. The child whimpered, too scared to move, too desperate to flee.
            “Sasuke.” The voice called out and the child knew he couldn’t allow that golden light to enter this room, couldn’t allow the Oni to devour that small glowing being, and jerked in place, his eyes wide and frightened upon the figure that sullied his haven.
            That twisted grin fell to him then and chilled him to the core. He had to move, but he couldn’t! Something was wrong, something stopped him from charging forward and hurting the man the way he knew he had to, and the light was coming, and he had to protect it, and… and…
            “Then it isn’t a coincidence…” The Oni muttered. He watched as the figure’s edges became blurred, feathering out like trendels of smoke, much like the voice, and another shiver raked up his spine.
            “Tell me little brother... Why is the Kyuubi surrounded by your chakra? Or shall I find out on my own?” His voice turned to the rasping cries of crows as his form dissolved into a flurry of wings, claws and beaks. The dark birds cast horrifying shadows and streaked the room with moving stains that choked him and threw the child to his knees, hands gripping his head in terror as the light hid fully behind darkness bring back the dark outline of stains on the floor, the shadows flaring to life around him.
            Distantly he heard the voice call out for him, its approach hurried, but he couldn’t focus on that, not now, now when the darkness was ripping him into pieces.
            “You are far too weak, little brother. Far, far too weak.”
The screaming blocked out the tender calls, and the darkness consumed him.

-2-

            Sasuke jerked awake his heart thundering against his ribs in a bruising tattoo as a cold clinging sweat soaked him through. For a few seconds he wondered if he had been woken by the ensuing fight between Karin and Suigetsu he’d been aware of on the edge of consciousness while he slept, but the pounding in his temples, and the shaking in his joints belayed that momentary hope. His nightmare remained just on the edge of memory, hazy and indistinct save for the words, spoken in the voice he hated above all others.
He couldn’t even remember falling asleep.
            Damn it… I should have known, should have realized… Sasuke grit his teeth against the head ache and the feeling of inadequacy. Itachi had made the first move, and he’d done it from a safe distance and without any of his team member’s noticing.

            “Why is the Kyuubi surrounded by your Chakra?”

            Sasuke focused on the chakra around him, far from convinced that the nightmare had been a trivial mix of subconscious fears and stress. As though waiting for his attention, the lingering brush of chakra twanged from around him. They were thin, whisp-like and dangerous, the same ensnaring threads that had bound his mind in nightmares until the fifth Hokage had broken through to draw him out.
            No… weaker. This is not the same as before… Sasuke tensed in wait, feeling the chakra recede from him and frowned, well aware that he would not find a trail. For a fleeting moment he wanted to charge after it anyway, just because his brother had been here. But he felt tired in every sense of the word, and he would not give Itachi the satisfaction of having him running around like a child in the dark.
            No, as soon as his world stopped feeling like it was made of play-dough, and he was certain he could fight without lingering after affects—his horrid battle with Naruto on the roof of the hospital had taught him better than to attempt to fight after having his mind-raped—he would turn to Karin. Loath as he was to admit it, she was better at this than he was.
            “Sasuke isn’t taking Kabuto seriously enough.” Suigetsu, for once sounded serious and rather concerned, it did nothing to calm his frantic thoughts and mind. It also didn’t help his mood. Kabuto wasn’t worth thinking about when Itachi was out there just waiting for him. Sasuke almost called out to the two irritants, the sooner he had Karin focusing on Itachi’s chakra the better but his vocal chords seemed just as paralyzed as the rest of his mind. Damn it, I don’t have time to play his fucking games. Sasuke internally snarled as slowly his body came more into its own.
It only proved how far he had yet to go.
            “Of course he isn’t!” Karin predictably defended. “The pathetic little medic might be taking over Sound, but he has nothing on Sasuke, and given the choice they would abandon him for Sasuke-sama.” Her words sounded far too similar to Sakura’s for his tastes but there was nothing that could be done about it, and her affection for him could be a great motivator, so Sasuke would suffer through it. If it meant getting closer to his goals, he had no qualms with using the girl.
Some corner of his mind shuddered at that thought and he hastily beat it into submission, pulling the cold, numbed sensation closer around him, almost like a shield. On some level he knew he shouldn’t be doing it, but still, he simply didn’t have time to care.
            “You’re only saying that because you want to fuck him six ways to Sunday. Did it ever occur to you that Sasuke ignored your advances and the information about the new power structure going on in Sound, for a reason?” Suigetsu brought the topic up again and it triggered another memory that he had set aside as unimportant. But perhaps he should have paid closer attention to it. He took his momentary uselessness as the chance and allowed his thoughts to wander back and away a bit.

            Karin was leaning far too close for comfort, her fingertip trailing over the skin that gaped through his loose fitted top. He suddenly wished he’d grabbed a spare change at the house. Hell Naruto’s orange ensemble would have been a better alternative to this. But, that like many other things, were all in hind-sight and did him no real good now.
            “You should know, Kabuto is already calling for your blood.” She giggled a bit madly her cheeks flushed under the glasses and the tangled mat of red that was facing away from him. “Of course that isn’t a problem for you. You were Orochimaru’s pupil, Kabuto has nothing but his medical skills to protect him.”
Shows how much she knew.
            Again, Sasuke remained silent. She seemed to think this meant he was encouraging her, and she continued, pressing close to his side. “The only thing he had before that made him important to Orochimaru, aside from his medical skills of course, were his connections.”
            For a brief moment her words sparked worry inside of him. How much did he know about the other? He had been in their care for the last two years, had over heard several of their conversations and knew enough to realize that Kabuto was the only one Orochimaru trusted implicitly. He had assumed that was because of some test the other had passed, but now he wondered if it was more.
            Could Orochimaru have kept him so close because of those so called connections? Did he trust him because of those connections, or was this all just needless worry. Over thought on a topic that was actually as simple as he had originally perceived?
            In any case, he wouldn’t solve it at this moment. “Hn. He won’t move against me without a plan. For now, he isn’t worth the thought.”
            Karin practically squirmed with joy at his words. It was mildly grotesque knowing that his words had pleased her so much that she would probably have fantasies about them and his tone later. It made him feel rather dirty overall, and he mentally promised to beat Naruto to a pulp if he ever did anything similar to this. The action was so degrading and disturbing, not to mention it was a habit girls seemed to develop around him.
            He much preferred Naruto’s crass words and blunt actions. If this were Naruto, he’d probably have shivered a bit tying to hide his reaction and then would blurt out that he was horny. He would then accuse me of making him so and demand that I fix it. Sasuke felt his lips quirk a bit as he realized that Naruto would first have to admit to wanting him in a sexual manner, but that the scenario wasn’t so far off from reality.
            Sadly, his reaction to his own thoughts only encouraged the red head at his side, and prompted her to coo at him until Suigetsu came to his rescue.

            “I’m telling you, Sasuke is very much taken.” Suigetsu’s voice was mocking, baiting and sharp. Obviously, he had missed much of their conversation as he’d been reminiscing. The proof that he couldn’t seem to multitask only proved further that it had not been a simple nightmare. That was more concerning than Suigetsu’s thoughts on Kabuto. Sasuke would give it more thought out of respect for the other’s instincts, but again, there was simply no time to give to the topic.
            “That is impossible! No girl in that weak pathetic village could possible hold his attention! He is far too powerful, and noble to be caught by their simpering—“
            “Oh yes, because it is your creepy stalker ways that have ensnared his desire and lust! Of course, that’s why he sleeps with you and… wait…”
            “Go to hell, you stupid miscalculated experiment!” It was as she turned, crossing her arms over her chest, that she spotted him. “Sasuke!” Karin’s voice wasn’t as sharp or shrill as Sakura’s, but the adoring quality of it was the same, and it made his insides recoil instinctively. He’d never hated the sound of his name more.
            “Hey boss-man, you sleep well? We were all a little concerned when you passed out. You should let us know when you’re tired.” It was more a question concerning what had actually happened as opposed to what the words implied, and it only supported his conclusions that they had been unable to detect Itachi at the time of his attack. Not all that surprising actually. “Karin tried to rape you but we st—“ The sudden and violent strike to the other’s face sent him sprawling, though Sasuke was certain it was more of an act on the blonde’s part then any real aim or talent on Karin’s. She was strong, but her temper made her sloppy.
            The red head turned to him, her lack of symmetry where her hair was concerned made his mind falter a moment as she spoke. His equilibrium was still off. “I would never—“ Her fluttering lashes stilled abruptly and a hard expression fell into place like a tarp as her senses picked up the last stirrings of chakra. “Genjutsu.”
            His nod was enough, and her face curled up in an ugly sneer. “Fuck, that bastard is tricky.” Her muttering was dark as she abruptly stood scanning the area, her energy pouring off of her attempting to trace the other.
            She had remarkable ability with chakra, seeing it in action had been startling and impressive, and more than once Sasuke had been glad he had chosen her, but recently her sensitive senses had been thrown into chaos as the foreboding feeling to the air intensified. She had already mentioned twice how the influx in negative chakra was pulling her focus away from his brother—and the lingering traces of his presence that clung to the other Akatsuki members—toward whatever was growing in the east. It made tracking Itachi impossibly difficult and was far more irritating than Sauske would have first guessed.
            “Anything?” He asked quietly when Karin had remained stationary for far too long. He was glad his voice was only slightly airy, and most of his extremities were working—if not at top notch—and Sasuke took the chance to stand up. As he suspected her shoulders slumped and her cheeks turned a dark color similar to her hair when she turned to him, adjusting her glasses in a nervous gesture that could have been endearing if she wasn’t so bat-shit insane.
            “It’s there, but is muddied and indistinct.” Her eyes averted to the ground, her posture showing true disdain and grief when she whispered, “I should have noticed it sooner.” Sasuke felt pity for the girl in that moment, aware of how fragile she was and how cruel it was of him to use her, but there was no other alternative open to him.
            “Hn.” Sasuke grunted, looking for the right words to comfort her but that couldn’t be leading at the same time, and Suigetsu stepped in to cause a mess. He really got bored far too easily.
            “Really, what good are you?”
            Like a switch flipping, the sorrowful expression melted and the girl swung around with a glare that put Sakura and Tsunade to shame—Sasuke thought it had something to do with the glasses—and rounded on the blonde. “What was that?! At least I am of use more than you! What can you do?!”
            “Fight? Pull my own weight? Really that is more than you apparently.” Suigetsu smirked, his teeth glinting in a sinister show. Sasuke had questioned himself if most of his baiting was from the impatience of tracking his sword that seemed always just beyond his grasp.
            “Fighting? I’ll show you fighting.” Her voice held a low note that was usually best to avoid and Sasuke stood up to distract her. Last thing he needed was for his team to actually injure each other before the mission was completed.
            “What direction?”
            “Huh?” Karin supplied before her mind caught up. She luckily ignored Suigetsu’s snort and muttered comment on her intelligence, and managed to answer Sasuke rather quickly. “It’s heading east, toward the influx of power… but I’m not sure how reliable that is. This chakra is disrupting everything, and is quite distracting.”
            “Nice cover, useless.”
            “WHA—“ Karin’s rant cut off abruptly when Sasuke strode between them in the direction Karin had indicated, Jyugo following like a silent shadow. The other spoke very rarely unless he was raging under his own curse, and Sasuke was actually soothed by his presence. He hoped to ask Tsunade if she could help the other when this was all over, but he doubted the other man would linger long. “Wait up Sasuke!” Karin called, her presence quickly catching up until she strode alongside him. Suigetsu was more languid in his own approach, taking up the end of their little group.
Sasuke was certain he was doing it on purpose but didn’t comment on it. The other was rather brilliant, and hid behind his demeanor well. It made many—including himself on several occasions—underestimate him. Yes, having him in the back was the most advantageous strategy they could impose. That the other did it instinctually was reassuring, and left him room to think of other things.
            What was the point of that Itachi? Why bother taunting me… why run away? Sasuke frowned seeing no motive behind his brother’s actions, no reason, but then again, from the very beginning Itachi hadn’t made much sense. Are you baiting me? Another encouragement to hate you more? Sasuke felt that that was more likely than anything else, and was humored at the fact that Itachi had no clue as to what was coming. I’m more than prepared this time, and I won’t fall apart like before.
            Karin moved slightly in front of him, as much to lead the way as to protect him from any more attacks from his brother. If Itachi could cast a genjutsu while he slept, it was obvious that they had underestimated him, and she wouldn’t let that happen again.
He had a good team.
            Truly, he hoped that they achieved their goals.
But that too was a fleeting thought.

-2-

            The child was curled in the room where the shoji doors now had black speckles upon them, like mold or dried blood. The sky was a dark grey outside and the wind caused the serpentine tree to creak ominously as it danced before the house. He was crying silently unwilling to move an inch. The voice was a distant echo now, like a soft ember flickering under the wrath of a storm. HE wanted to hide in that warmth but he was stuck. Trapped in emotions and memories he wasn’t yet strong enough to face.
            “So close… so close…” the words were a broken prayer; hope and dream, and as the darkness creeped back in stealing the warmth and strength he’d steadily built the fragment of light grew softer until it was nothing more than a memory.

A.N. Sorry this took so long. As I wrote it I realized that I had created a massive plot hole. Sasuke is relapsing. He would not handle a mind-rape from his brother without scars or repercussions so I had to go back though and find a way to make it all fit. Sorry, but on the bright side, naruto’s chapter was finished while I was edited this one. ^-^
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Kyuubi the Bitch