Adult-FanFiction.org : Naruto

Obsession	By : Infek Category: Naruto > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 1875 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
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. Note: ANBU Core is not an existing branch of ANBU but only used to benefit this story.

Chapter List
- 16
- 17
every finger in the room is pointing at me

I wanna spit in their faces

then I get afraid of what that could bring

I got a bowling ball in my stomach

I got a desert in my mouth

figures that my COURAGE would choose to sell out now

I’ve been raising up my hands

drive another nail in

just what GOD needs one more victim

every day I crucify myself

nothing I do is good enough for you

and my HEART is sick of being in chains

you’re just an empty cage kid if you kill the bird

please be save me I CRY
Crucify – Tori Amos [Adapted]
Chapter XVII There Is No Life Without Sympathy
Neji stirred in his sleep, mumbling softly but he turned around and remained with his eyes closed and his mind for the moment hopefully blissfully unaware of the turmoil that faced him every day from the moment he woke up to the moment his eyes fell shut and he was caught in a dream. It pained Itachi; the thought that he couldn’t make Neji happy, that it was only in the world of sleep that Neji could be.
It was him who dragged him here but his feeling of success battled fiercely with the idea that while it may have been with a better outcome for him personally, perhaps the same didn’t count for his most precious person. Had he been too selfish? Had he brought only more pain and burden on Neji? Itachi sharply turned away from Neji and leaned his feet on the ground, burying his face in his hands in a moment of pure weakness. By killing Hyūga Hiashi without telling Neji, he had indeed made a grave mistake. And what if there were many more and both of them were just too stubborn to realise it? He had no doubt that Neji loved him and as he considered the feelings he had only ever felt with the man –he was a man now, no longer the sixteen-year old boy he had dragged out of the river- he knew that he too loved.
But so much had to be severed for them to be together. Neji had held close ties in their former village. Sometimes he would find Neji outside of Akatsuki’s lair, lying on the ground and staring at a clouded sky and Itachi always had to look away, hating the feeling of dejection welling up in him. He couldn’t be all the people Neji had left behind. He couldn’t be there for Neji at all times and he cursed himself for not realising it sooner. It wasn’t enough. He wasn’t enough. He clenched his fist, his nails leaving imprints in the palm of his hand. He had condemned them.
Itachi sighed as a hand stroked his back.
“C’me to bed. It is still the middle of the night,” Neji said sleepily. He crawled closer and draped himself around Itachi who still hadn’t moved, pressing his chest closely to his lover’s back.
“You miss Konohagakure, don’t you?” Arms that only a second before lay around his waist relaxed now tensed, Neji resting his head on his shoulder.
“At times I do.”
“Why?”
“Because I cared for the Village and the people in it. Hiashi and my Juinjutsu made life stifling and a nightmare I was eager to escape. You provided me with that escape and so much more. But at times, I miss training with my old team or talking to my cousins.”
Itachi unwrapped his arms and stood up, pulling on his clothes but leaving his cloak behind. Without another word, he walked outside.
Letting himself sink down on the bed, Neji hid under the thick blankets, providing a safe escape from the cold air as winter took over the lands, freezing the grounds of their lair. Nearly five years and yet, he was still questioning whether he should go after him. Wrapping one layer around himself, he found some shoes and hurried out of his room. Racing through the maze of hallways, Byakugan activated as he searched, Neji picked up his speed.
Activating the intricate seal that locked the entrance, he went outside, feeling the cold wind grazing his bare legs and he pulled the blanket tighter around himself. He didn’t have to look very far, Itachi having perched himself on top of the hill which hid the lair underneath. Adopting a more sedate pace, he let his lover know he was coming but Itachi didn’t even glance back. The moon outlined his lone figure, the shoulders slumped. He had done this, he had caused this and now Neji did feel guilty. Briefly touching his shoulder, he walked in front of him before sinking down and settling himself in his lap. With a small urging of his hand, he lifted Itachi’s head and kissed him.
“I wouldn’t trade. Even if things in my and your clan had been different, we never would have been allowed to be together. And so I wouldn’t trade.”
Itachi snorted disdainfully and Neji feared for a moment he would be thrown off, his hands already bracing themselves against the ground. He felt the blanket around his naked body being pulled tighter around himself.
“You will get sick.”
Neji now smiled. “Yes, mother.”
“I couldn’t keep my promise, could I? I promised you freedom but instead I got you embroiled in something that is far bigger than all of us.” Itachi shook his head at his own foolishness. For the first time, something which only added to his insecurity, he realised what exactly he had done and the worst part was that he had dragged Neji down with him.
“Do not doubt yourself. Both of us have made mistakes along the way, but in the moment itself we always did what we felt was right.” Like I did with Shikamaru.
Itachi let out a noise of frustration. “I do not regret killing Hiashi-san. I know you are angry with me but I do not regret it. That is one thing I refuse to see as a mistake.”
Neji nodded with his head resting on his shoulder. “Why didn’t you tell me beforehand?”
“Because I knew you’d object. I knew your love for your cousins would get in the way. But how did you find out?”
“I saw Shikamaru. He was furious, thinking I had given the command.”
“Did it hurt, seeing him?”
“I joined the organisation which killed his Sensei. I knew it would and yet, it still surprised me how much.”
Itachi cradled the back of his head, stroking his hair like a child needing comfort but Neji revelled in the gesture. “I told him about the Uchiha-clan. About what you told me.” Please forgive me. Forgive me like I have forgiven you.
He should have known that Neji’s loyalty could still be swayed by old friends and attachments. Itachi himself had from a young age been made aware of the resentment from the Uchiha, stemming from the very founding of Konohagakure, filled in by both his family and Madara. But their objectives were vastly different, one choosing war while one wished to create a peace based on a lie. Neither were plans he could agree with.
“Good. Shikamaru will know what to do with the information.” I’m sorry there is so much I can’t tell you yet. Silence reigned, both starting to shiver in the cold but Itachi was rather reluctant to go back to the stifling air of their bedroom.
“Do you think we could ever adjust to life as commoners?”
Neji smiled at the thought. It would be peaceful but it was nothing more than a dream.
“If need be, we could. But I don’t think that will ever happen.” Lifting his head up, he kissed him, more deeply than before. “Let’s go back before we both get sick.”
[-]
Shikamaru yawned widely as he looked over the many historic texts he had amassed on this single table in the archives. For days he had been cooped up in here, pouring over anything which might link the elders to the Uchiha-clan, searching for anything which could explain their possible threat against the Village. So many things which could be it and then he second-guessed himself. Victory was written by the victors, making everything written distorted. He cursed loudly as he slammed the book in front of him shut.
“Your mother taught you better than that.” His father plopped down in the seat across from him, only a few sputtering candles giving them light. Another whole day he had spent here, barely leaving for food or drink. “Anything?” Shikaku had leaned forward, the word easily missed as it was spoken so softly. Minutely shaking his head, Shikamaru replied.
“Finish your work tomorrow. Your mother wanted me to come get you.” Shikaku left little room for protest, Shikamaru stretching his back out. He had come here under the pretense of wanting to do research into their greatest enemy but he knew his every move was watched. His father had been right, he was a fool for voicing his protests to Naruto so loudly when he should have used stealth. But he had someone on his side at least, Shikaku’s influence ensuring that there was at least a pretense of collegiality towards his son. He needed to find something quick before his luck ran out and he had yet to come up with anything.
Sated by hearty food and a few drinks with his father, Shikamaru stumbled in his apartment, flicking the light-switch. God, he felt like he could sleep for days.
“Shikamaru-kun.” He couldn’t breathe. He recognised that voice. It had talked to him about strategy, jutsus. Uchiha Itachi. Closing his eyes, he turned around. “I haven’t come to kill you. I come with information. Open your eyes.” Jerkily shaking his head, Shikamaru’s hand reached for his kunai. He knew that pitted in a fight against Uchiha Itachi he would probably lose but he would stall him at least long enough.
“Shikamaru, please open your eyes. You have no reason to trust us but we have risked our lives in coming here.”
“Neji?”
“Open your eyes.” Inhaling deeply, he finally did as asked. Neji gave him a hesitant smile but Itachi had his head turned away, eyes fixed on the window, clearly on the lookout. But then he turned, obsidian eyes turned towards him, no Sharingan, no defence.
“I have placed several henges on your apartment to ensure we would not be spotted or overheard. Regardless, our time is very much limited. And you are being watched.”
Shikamaru saw how tired they were, both probably having made the journey here in record-time to avoid raising suspicion on their side of the enemy-ground. The cloaks of Akatsuki were missing, replaced for all black clothing, giving them more stealth in this darkness.
“Why are they following you?”
“Because they suspect I may be a traitor for defending you and Neji.”
Itachi relaxed at least a little bit, setting himself down on the edge of the couch, sitting right next to Neji so their legs were touching. They were in a hostile environment, sheltered by someone they could apparently still consider a friend.
“Tell me what you know. I have been searching like mad trying to find anything but I have found nothing at all.”
“Itachi, can you explain everything? I’m going to make some tea.” As Neji moved towards the kitchen, both remaining men followed him with his eyes, Shikamaru snorting in laughter.
“If they found us here, we would be hanged by tomorrow’s noon.”
Even Itachi smiled minimally at that. He may not have lost sight of his surroundings but he had to admit the situation was a bit absurd. They put their lines on the line every single day they still breathed but now were suddenly extremely vigilant.
“We won’t get caught.”
Shikamaru sat himself opposite the missing-nin, ready to listen to anything he wished to tell.
“I will tell you what I know regarding the Uchiha-clan. Anything else you need to find out on your own.” Itachi saw Shikamaru curtly nod, knowing the other shinobi to be smart enough to go on with what little information he could give him.
“During the founding of Konohagakure, the Uchiha-clan were overpowerd by the Senju-clan. The founding of Konoha’s Police Force seemed to be a token of trust and goodwill to the rest of the Village but my clan suspected it was to keep them segregated and contained and they were probably right. It created an ever-growing resentment and when I was thirteen, they nearly went through with a coup d’état.” Itachi hated the memories that returned, Shisui’s plan to kill them all in retaliation. But the genjutsu he had performed on his father had ensured peace at least for a while longer. He had no other choice.
“That resentment is still there and the Go-Ikenban are slowly giving their support, particularly spurred on by Danzō. He has the Sharingan, he stole it from one of my clan’s members. And he desires nothing more than to be Hokage. He has spies everywhere, pitting clans against each other, all in the hopes of attaining his goal, making Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane question Naruto’s leadership. For years he has been controlling my father who has been blind to it, spurred on by his blind ambition that our clan would be superior to any other. They will try and overthrow the current leadership and if they succeed, they will let Danzō rule. He wants war, destroy everything to build it back up according to his law.”
A tray with tea-cups was set in front of them, Itachi stopping his words and nodding in appreciation, drinking a bit more hurriedly as his mouth was parched. He and Neji had barely stopped to rest in the two days it had taken them to get here and they would soon need to leave again. It was a miracle they had found the time to come here together in the first place.
“How do you know all this?”
Grasping his cup between his hands, Itachi looked worn and defeated, looking up, blue rings of exhaustion under his eyes. “I cannot tell you.”
“Does Sasuke know?”
“No. My father has always resented his friendship with Naruto and for that reason alone, he preferred to keep him in the dark.”
Shikamaru nodded, needing time to think but time that was far too precious for the people sitting opposite him.
“Why let Danzō rule? Why won’t the Uchihas take the seat for themselves?”
Itachi laughed bitterly. “Because he made them promises. And because his ROOT-company is filled with Uchihas, all more loyal to Danzō than to their clan. When he started this division, he approached all the great clans, promising them a great many things for those who would be educated under him. Only the Uchihas were foolish enough to accept his offer and now they pay the price. Those he trained are shells of their former selves and they only obey his commands, no other’s.
At the moment, I suspect he is keeping them placated by the idea of being the new Go-Ikenban, maybe the idea that if he were to die, an Uchiha could follow in his lead. I can not say for certain since it has been years I received any information regarding it.”
“This is even worse than I could have thought. We are going to be fighting a war on the inside when there is already one approaching with Akats-“ He trailed off, but Neji nodded, indicating that his words held no lies. “Why are you here? Why are you telling me all this?”
“Because we too want peace. We are tired of fighting but it seems we cannot escape it, regardless of which path we would have chosen.” Shikamaru undertood those words all too well. Save from the new crop of genin, many of the older generations were resenting this situation where fighting was inevitable and overpowering. Neji sipped his cup of tea but after a quick look from Itachi gulped it down. Time to leave.
“Wait here,” Shikamaru suddenly said, moving towards his kitchen. Hurriedly gathering supplies, he brought them to his guests. Food and water. Something at least.
Itachi bowed his head slightly in gratitude. “Thank you.” Neji put it in his small travel-sack and they made their way towards the window.
“Only share this with people you can trust. Your opinion is already questioned so wait until you have proof.” Shikamaru nodded, watching them apply a simple henge. It turned out to be quite a bit more complicated as he couldn’t even detect a trace of their chakra, even to his trained senses. They looked like commoners.
“Be safe. And thank you. You have no idea how valuable this information is.” Itachi nodded before making his way out of the window. Neji already had one leg on the ledge before looking back.
“Good luck, Shikamaru.” Shikamaru smiled in disbelief, watching his best friend, the missing-nin clamber out of his window and disappear from sight. Plopping down on his couch, he supported his chin on his hands, even with his exceptional mind barely able to grasp what had just happened and what was still to come.
“Fuck...”
Racing through the woods, Neji following closely behind, Itachi actually felt relieved. Perhaps now something could change. With some luck.
[-]
“But this is madness. The entire Uchiha-clan working against the Hokage?” Shikaku breathed, cigarette-smoke escaping through his teeth. He had been smoking since his son had started talking, Temari sitting next to him, not saying a single word.
“Dad, I know what you are thinking but Itachi was one of the Uchiha, he was one of the most powerful in his clan. They would have told him everything because he would have been vital in a coup. His talent alone would have taken hundreds of lives. And he risked his life coming here. If I can find proof, I can bring it to Naruto.” Shikamaru’s whole posture was tense as he tried to get his father to understand, having come over at the crack of dawn, successfully waking his parents, his mother highly surprised to see him but he hadn’t slept at all, constantly strategising and thinking, thinking about every little thing Itachi had told him. This information was so very valuable and it couldn’t be wasted.
“You’re going to have to start at ROOT. Find out who are members, show them that they are nearly all Uchihas and that therefore they pose a threat.” Shikamaru grinned. His father was on his side. His hand was grabbed. And he had Suna backing him too. For the first time in a very long time, he actually felt like he could change something and could make a difference in the end instead of being placed at the sidelines, only brought out when a plan for attack needed to be designed.
“Naruto can sentence Danzō if we can have proof that the division is still active since it should have been outlawed years ago. But Shikamaru, that proof may never be found. There is a reason it went covert.”
Shaking his head firmly in determination, Shikamaru disagreed. “Everyone leaves traces. And I am going to research what happened in 8 ANT, when the Uchihas planned their first attack. There must be a clue hidden somewhere.”
His boy turned out to be a lot more troublesome than he could ever have thought. But his heart was in the right place.
“I’ll see what I can possibly find in the ANBU-archives.” Only former and current ANBU were allowed in there but even for them, a lot of files were considered off-limits. Hopefully, his position as Jōnin-commander could give him some leverage at least. But if anyone found out, they could pay for it with their lives if they started looking in the wrong files.
“You do understand why I am doing this?”
Feeling that same sense of dread he’d felt when Kyūbi had attacked their village, having to leave his wife and newborn son behind to fight the greatest threat to have terrorised their home since its founding wasn’t at all comforting. Konohagakure was facing a double threat and his an his son’s involvement could be critical in the end. They needed to do this, for duty if not for love.
Shikaku locked eyes with his son, seeing a younger version of himself staring back. That same sense of duty he had passed on to him and he couldn’t fault him for it because despite what others thought, he had proven to be right. Now they needed to find a way to let everyone know that.
“I understand better than most, probably.”
[-]
“Gaara, you’re looking tired as ever,” Naruto joked, his robes billowing behind him as he crossed his office, embracing his old friend heartily. While it wasn’t reciprocated, it wasn’t rejected either and after years of friendship, he knew this was as much as he was going to get. But he didn’t care. He and Gaara understood each other, both having known the burden of being a Jinchūriki. He still carried that gift clothed in a burden through sheer will and perhaps also, quite a hefty dose of luck.
“Naruto. Enjoying the burdens of being Hokage?” Gaara’s eyes stared at the mountain of paperwork cluttered on the desk, Naruto awkwardly scratching the back of his head.
“Yeah, Sakura told me to clean up but I was just so excited to hear about your arrival. Come on, let’s ditch our duties and get ramen!”
“Not gonna happen, Naruto. You still have a mountain of mission-reports to read, not to mention quite a few other missions to authorise. Kazekage, I hope your journey was uneventful.” Sakura’s authorative voice made Naruto wince. He would never escape now.
“Not quite uneventful but nothing we couldn’t handle. It seems missing-nin are becoming more daring lately.” He too had sensed the increasing threat in Sunagakure, so many more attacks, every scout who was sent out returning with one grim message after another. Kankurō was currently ruling in his stead, Temari wanting to accompany him as she always did when anyone ventured towards Konohagakure. Her reluctance to decide on where to settle was firmly driven by her loyalty to her brothers and endangered by her love for that Nara. He knew she would choose eventually or maybe Shikamaru would decide for her. Either way worked for Gaara.
Naruto nodded. “So you too have noticed? I had thought my days as Hokage would be a bit more peaceful. Hoped, really.” He glanced at Gaara and sighed. “We have to do something about Akatsuki, you know we do. If they catch me... they’ll have what they want.”
Sakura laid a comforting hand on Naruto’s shoulder, knowing the burden he had to carry as Hokage in these uncertain times.
“True. My advisors and I have talked about this. They seem to think that we can tackle them ourselves but I proposed an alliance with Fire-Country. Together, we have far better hope to defend our nations.”
Exhaling in relief, Naruto sunk down in his chair. “You have no idea how happy I am that you are here.”
Only nodding in recognition, Gaara remained standing. “I wil be here for another few weeks. We should set up a meeting with our strategists.” With those parting words, he let his friend be. Last he heard before closing the door behind him was Naruto’s loud shout of protest as Sakura shoved a pile of scrolls under his nose.
[-]
No. No. No.No.
With every page turning, he grew more restless. Naruto had called a meeting with all his advisors, a meeting in which they and the men of Sunagakure would set the first small steps in the hopes of overthrowing Akatsuki. If Itachi was right, the Uchiha would not hesitate to use a time of war to gain power. He was running out of time.
He had scanned every file that could relate to Danzō, but his father had proven to be right. He had left no trace. Looking through Itachi’s he hoped against hope that there at least would be a clue. Age thirteen. Named ANBU-captain. Youngest ever. A 100% success-rate. All the usual drabble you found in any shinobi’s file. He blinked a few times, his eyes too tired to keep up this rapid pace.
Mangekyō Sharingan – Shisui. Just a small note but there it was. The Kekkei Genkai was infamous in itself but the Mangekyō was even more fabled, nearly impossible to stop. He had known Itachi had it but what was the link with this Shisui? Checking the index of the archive, he found there had in fact been an Uchiha Shisui. And he had died right around the time Itachi showed the awakening of his advanced Sharingan. When they found Shisui’s body, both his eyes had been missing. Itachi had killed him, had stolen his eyes? Stuffing the files in his bag, he walked out of the archive.
[-]
“Oi, Shikamaru-kun, your father says you need to go home immediately. Sounds to me like you’re in trouble!” Inoichi yelled at his best friend’s son with a wide grin, knowing his mother’s temper quite well after having brought her husband home drunk one too many times. Shikamaru only waved his hand nonchalantly but the moment he was out of sight, jumped on top of the roofs and raced towards his parents’ house.
This could only mean that either his father had been successful or that they got caught. Either one but if it were the latter, the entire Nara-clan would be dragged down.
Walking across the lands he had been raised on, even as an adult still remembering the lazy days he had spent on the grass, deer grazing nearby, never considered a threat to one of their clan, he opened the door that led him directly into the kitchen.
“Dad?”
“In here,” a voice called, Shikamaru locating him in the livingroom. Only one light was on, his father looking up, holding up a lit cigarette between his fingers, the tips carefully resting against his temple.
“It was so simple we didn’t even see it. All we needed to do was look in the birth-register, note every Uchiha born since Danzō came in a position of power and note which ones strayed from the usual path. Those that barely make any appearance in any file. We were looking for the exact opposite we should have been looking for.” Shikaku laughed at his own stupidity, this lapse of judgement which had cost him and his son very precious time. A whole two weeks of the answer staring them straight in the face and yet, two of the most brilliant minds in the world had missed it.
Shikamaru groaned although it sounded suspiciously like laughter as well. He opened the folder, thick and the papers hurriedly shoved in. Papers scrambled full with dates and names, arrows pointing out those of importance.
“Shisui...” He mumbled it more to himself but his father urged him to continue. Neither minds would get any rest as it were with this new information and it was set to be a long night. Yoshino had already gone to bed, too tired and angry at Shikaku’s refusal to get her any further involved. But should they be found out before they got all the data in order and with any smidgeon of actual prood, then at least Yoshino would be spared days of interrogation. Perhaps worse.
“This name here. Uchiha Shisui. I found it in Itachi’s file. Someone wrote his name in there and mentioned the Mangekyō Sharingan.” Shikaku held out his hand, Uchiha Itachi’s folder being passed to him. “Right there, at the bottom of the page.” Seeing the page in question, he shook his head.
“This is the Sandaime’s handwriting. I could recognise it anywhere. He must have known something more, a suspicion at least.”
“But if he put it in Itachi’s file, then that would mean that Itachi was involved, that he...”
“That he perhaps killed his cousin and stole his eyes,” his father finished.
Shikamaru craned his fingers, placing the tips against each other. “It doesn’t add up. He risked his life coming here to tell me what he could.”
“Son, he still defected the village and is an S-Class criminal according to the Bingo Book. His actions alone speak for themselves and any form of retribution will not erase his past.” The words were harsh but none were false.
“Look over those files.” The only sound was Shikaku’s cigarette being crushed out, the last cinders burning in the ashtray and papers being turned over. And then they were slammed onto the table.
“Everything traces back to Shisui. He is the one we were searching for.” Shikamaru looked up determined at his father who realised the link his son had made.
“Uchiha Shisui...”
[-]
Nimble fingers untangled the knots in his wet hair, Itachi letting Neji do as he wish. They had barely spoken since their illicit trip to their former Village, the one place they had run from and apparently still were too loyal to to form any real threat.
A hard snag and a softly whispered apology.
“I’m proud of you.” Hands stilled for a moment before continuing their motions.
“Weren’t you before?” A kiss on his shoulder and Neji’s nose nuzzling the tiny hairs on the back of his neck.
“It’s so difficult to choose an alliance. But you showed me that regardless of our choices, you will always side with me. Time and time again, you have shown that.”
Itachi breathed in deeply, enjoying the close proximity to the only one he did in fact swear allegiance to. Had his failed attempts at capturing Uzumaki Naruto’s Jinchūriki really been circumstantial or had he been unwilling from the start, never able to carry through and capture his otouto’s best friend? But then he was still firmly guarding secrets Madara himself had told him, finding that the same blood that ran through their veins provided them with a closer connection from the start.
Even seated across from Shikamaru, being provided a perfect opportunity to let go of the weaknesses of the single greatest threat facing the Countries of their age, he found he couldn’t. He was swung from one side to another with only Neji standing in the middle, providing some sort of comfort at least.
“We may have helped Konoha avoid one threat. But war is coming, Nej. And they will be coming for us in the end.” He pulled Neji forward, facing him and cradling that beautiful face in his calloused hands.
“You do know that? You have to.” His left-hand was grabbed tightly, Neji’s eyes closing. He nodded.
Preview Chapter XVIII
“It seems we are going to war then,” Naruto whispered. He found Shikamaru staring at him, but averted, avoided those eyes hastily.
“Send out the message. We need to prepare.”

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Obsession