Adult-FanFiction.org : Naruto

Deception - COMPLETE	By : kizukatana Category: Naruto > Yaoi - Male/Male > Naruto/Sasuke Views: 11939 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 3
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto and make no money on anything I write

Chapter List
- 30
- 31
- 32
Warning: Intermediate yaoi (17+) in this chapter.
Author's note: Thanks to BriEva for beta'ing and advising on this chapter.
-xXx-
Naruto didn't open his eyes as he drifted to wakefulness, not quite ready to deal with the reality of what the day would bring. Sleep had allowed him to turn off his mind from the guilt and stress of the day before, though his dreams had been shadowy and tense. He knew he couldn't simply sit back and wait for Tobi to pick off random people in his life one-by-one. Today he'd have to decide what he was going to do about it. Kakashi would be coming by in the morning, presumably to discuss options, but right now the only one that suited Naruto was Tobi dead at his feet within the next twenty-four hours
But depending on the situation, it could put his future with Sasuke at risk. Something he had never thought he would care about, but that now mattered more than his own safety.
He reached his hand out slowly, finding the bed cold and empty. Panic surged through him, shoving all remnants of sleep aside. Sasuke hadn't said anything about having to go out of the apartment for work today, but that didn't mean that something hadn't come up. Naruto tossed the sheet aside and grabbed the nearest pair of pants and pulled them on before throwing open the bedroom door in search of him.
Sasuke, Shisui and Gaara looked up from where they were sitting around the kitchen table, looking over some papers. Gaara was dressed in a brown T-shirt and grey sweat pants, Sasuke was wearing his black silk robe, and Shisui was shirtless in his dark pajama pants. Despite seemingly still dressed for bed, they appeared to have been up for some time judging by the empty coffee cups sitting on the table in front of them.
"I..." Naruto flushed slightly as Sasuke arched an eyebrow at him, clearly knowing what had sent Naruto into a panic. "I just wanted to be sure you weren't going out today."
Sasuke's gaze dropped down to Naruto's hips and legs. "Is that why you are wearing my pants? Surely you know I have others to wear if I need to."
Naruto blinked then looked down, realizing he had grabbed Sasuke's clothes instead of his own in his rush to catch his boyfriend before he left. "Shut up. I just didn't expect to wake up to an empty bed, ok? Why didn't you wake me up when you got up?"
"You needed sleep," Sasuke said, still looking amused as Naruto walked toward them, though his eyes did darken slightly at the sight of Naruto shirtless in his pants.
"And we wanted to discuss options without you vetoing everything that doesn't have you kicking down every door in the city by yourself," Gaara said drily. "You usually don't have the patience to come up with an actual strategy when it's something to do with Tobi. You just charge in recklessly."
"I do not! I just... rely on my instincts more. Plans always go wrong, anyway. You know that as well as I do, Gaara," Naruto said somewhat defensively.
Gaara gave him a look, though he didn't disagree. "You have good instincts," he allowed. "But you never place enough value on your own safety."
"And look," Naruto said, holding up his hands and showing both sides. "Somehow I'm still alive and all in one piece. Something that a lot of people in our profession can't say. Literally."
"No one is saying you aren't skilled. But complicated strategies were never your strong suit, Naruto. Even you admit that. That's why you stayed with Nagato, even after you'd paid off your debt to him. You took his mark," Gaara said nodding at the Akatsuki tattoo visible on the side of Naruto's shoulder.
Sasuke's gaze narrowed slightly at the tattoo, never really quite thinking about it in that way. The idea of having another man's mark of ownership on his lover didn't particularly sit well with him, even if the man was dead.
Shisui leaned forward to pick up what Naruto was now able to see appeared to be the blueprint of a building. As he stretched, Naruto was drawn to the red and white tattoo on the back of the man's shoulder blade. It was identical to the one on the hilt of Sasuke's katana.
"It's the same in any organization, Gaara. You have tattoos as well. Even Shisui has one, as much as Sasuke insists his family wasn't yakuza."
Sasuke's brow creased in annoyance at the comparison. "Yakuza tattoos are much more overt. The Uchiha are don't require gauche, fully body ink to designate their ranks."
"Only people who directly take orders from the head of the clan bear this mark," Shisui explained.
Naruto looked at the tattoo a moment more before focusing back on what they had been debating before. "Look, Sasuke… I really appreciate your wanting to help out. You are amazingly smart and… have serious political skills. But this really isn't your area of expertise. No matter how smart you are, this isn't exactly shit you learn in school," Naruto said, feeling slightly unsettled that Gaara seemed to be comfortable bringing Sasuke in on the planning of this. Gaara never deferred to anyone. It had been the main reason he hadn't wanted to join Akatsuki when Naruto had been forcefully inducted. Nagato ruled with an iron fist, and Gaara liked to be able to call his own shots. He had aligned himself with a much weaker crime lord. It provided Gaara with protection and work, but left him enough room to do things his own way.
"Depends on the school," Shisui said. "You didn't know Sasuke's father, Naruto. He was not a politician. He was heavily involved with several major Yakuza factions. And he liked to be informed of the details. Sasuke didn't grow up in the world he lives in now."
"Hear him out," Gaara murmured. "He might surprise you. He sure surprised the hell out of me."
Naruto looked at Sasuke. This was a part of Sasuke's life that they had never discussed, but Naruto would be lying if he said he hadn't wondered about it. Sasuke had been awfully accepting of Naruto's past and all the shit that had gone down since they'd met. Any 'normal' person would have run for the hills long ago.
"I need you to trust me," Sasuke said, looking at Naruto steadily. "This won't work if you go off and try something on your own. I know we haven't had a chance to talk about a lot of things, but I understand your world a lot better than you might think I do."
Naruto hesitated, but not due to lack of trust. In his mind, it had always been him who would take care of Sasuke. Naruto was supposed to be the protector. Not the other way around. He could see Sasuke's eyes fully aware of that, and waiting for Naruto decide if he was going to write him off or hear him out. Naruto shrugged, then sat down in an empty chair next to Sasuke. He had nothing to lose from just listening. And any plan that Gaara approved of had to be pretty decent. "Ok. Let's hear it."
Gaara let out a small breath of relief. After what had happened yesterday with Maria, he had half expected to find Naruto missing, despite his own efforts to keep an eye on the blond. Sasuke had come up with a good plan, but he had been worried that Naruto wouldn't even hear them out. There were some points that Gaara knew Naruto would object to, but overall it was probably their best shot. The sooner they could set this in motion, the better off they'd all be.
Sasuke nodded, his face taking on the same intense expression Naruto had seen on the councilman's face before he decimated what everyone else assumed to be a 'superior' opponent until Sasuke wiped the floor with him. Naruto almost felt a grin tugging at his lips at the sight. It was one of the first things that had attracted him to the man… this focused, fierce intensity of purpose. Only this time, instead of being directed towards his political battles, Sasuke had evidently turned it on Naruto and his situation with Tobi.
"Suigetsu got me the files on every case Tobi has been associated with, including those from other countries. As far as I can tell, he always chooses his victims at random. There is no correlation between them. The general consensus of the profiles they have built on him is that Tobi is a killer of opportunity... he sees someone who strikes his interest and he kills them. You are the only exception, though most people assume you died years ago," Sasuke began.
Naruto crossed his arms over his chest with a slight grimace. "Lucky me."
Sasuke shrugged. "What it means is that - while he is good at surprise attacks and up-close kills - he is inexperienced in actual strategy or tracking of a particular prey. He is stalking you because he is focused on you, but it isn't something he is particularly practiced at. Which is likely why it took so long for him to finally find you. And also why he is willing to work with whatever this 'other organization' is that we've been hearing about. He's not some super-villain who is good at everything and invincible. He's a psychopath. You are an assassin, or close enough. You are not easy prey like those sheep he tried to kill outside that restaurant he lured you to. The first thing you need to do is stop acting like his other victims. You're not the same child he met with the first time."
"Fuck you, Sasuke," Naruto was about to stand up and walk out, but Sasuke grabbed his wrist and pulled him back to his seat.
"Naruto. Hear me out. You've been seeing yourself as the victim for so long that you don't realize that you probably pose more danger to him than he does to you. Your trigger is the combination of physical injury and an association with Tobi. But if you face Tobi uninjured in a situation you control, you likely won't have flashbacks. When you heard his voice on the phone, you didn't trigger."
Naruto nodded, realizing that he hadn't really thought of it that way. "Ok. So, that is an advantage to us, sort of."
Sasuke's lips curved into a cold smile. "Not 'sort of'. It is. They key to bringing down any man is to know his blind spots. Everyone has them. Tobi is arrogant. He feels powerful because he stalks easy prey and so he always wins. He is overconfident. He is going to learn that there is a significant difference between hunting prey and hunting predators. Between the two of you, you actually have much more experience taking out dangerous opponents."
"Ok, so how do we use it? We have to be able to find him, which no one seems to be able to do."
"Most serial killers who have a similar profile have a bit of a god complex. They think they are smarter than others. Tobi is an opportunistic killer. So we present him with an opportunity that he thinks we aren't aware of, or aren't prepared for. We offer him a specific bait that he wants, and force him into a plan of action we determine for him," Sasuke stated calmly.
Naruto looked skeptical. "So… how do we determine his plan of action for him? We haven't had much luck predicting his moves so far."
Sasuke arched an eyebrow. "Why do you think he hasn't tried to take us out here? Everyone one in this apartment is top of his list right now. He knows where we are. What's held him back?"
Naruto shrugged. "Because he knows that Gaara, Shisui and I are professionals. Taking the three of us on at once would be suicide. I don't know how much he knows about you and Itachi, but even with just the three of us, he'd have to be careful. There are also limited ways in and out, and all of them guarded by cops. It's too dangerous."
"Exactly," Sasuke said. "So we make it easier." He detailed out exactly how to create an 'opportunity' for Tobi that even Naruto had to admit the man would not be able to resist. The subtle simplicity of it and the much more complex layers of contingency plans had Naruto wondering how long Sasuke had been thinking about this, but he realized why Gaara was willing to go along with it. It was brilliant. But there was one major flaw.
"I'm not doing it," Naruto said when Sasuke had finally finished explaining.
Sasuke's eyes narrowed in annoyance at the flat refusal. "Any particular reason you won't go along with this?"
"Several. But the one that you will most likely find acceptable is the simple fact that Tobi won't buy the idea that I would leave you unprotected. The whole plan revolves around the idea that I'd let you be alone and unguarded if a large enough emergency arose. But if Shisui or Gaara aren't with you, I don't care how many cops you surround yourself with. I am not letting you out of my sight, and I don't fucking care if the entire city burns to the ground because of it. If Tobi has studied me anywhere near as much as I've studied him, then he would know this about me. And even if he can't see through your plan completely, he will know it is a trap. He hasn't survived this long without good instincts. Cops have tried to set him up before, you know."
Sasuke's lips tightened into a thin line. Gaara shot him an amused look. "See. I told you."
"We can still make most of the plan work, but I am going to be the bait. Not you," Naruto stated firmly.
Sasuke glared at him. "You seem to forget that he said he wants to punish those around you first. You can't be the bait. It has to be Gaara, Kakashi, or me. And given that Tobi's injured, I'm the one he thinks would be the easiest kill. As far as he knows, I'm just a politician."
Naruto let out a small huff. There was no way in hell he was going to let Sasuke put himself out as bait, not matter how tight the safety net around him was. There was no such thing as a perfect plan, even when someone as smart as Sasuke or Nagato thought it through.
"We could up the ante on Naruto as a target," Shisui said thoughtfully.
Sasuke shot him a look that would have felled a lesser man, but Shisui ignored it and kept going. "Tobi likes the media coverage. He seemed to thrive on that in the past. Given what you described about his profile, part of what seemed to really anger him about Naruto was the fact that the media made such a big deal about the fact that a little boy had survived his attack when no one else had. I remember the coverage at the time. They made Naruto out to be some sort of hero for surviving."
"Yeah, but… that was a really long time ago," Naruto said, not following.
"But I'm sure the media would love to hear about the miraculous 'resurrection' of the long-lost boy who evaded the serial killer years ago. Especially now that he has evidently been working with the government to help bring down criminal organizations and is part of the task force hunting the serial killer that took his family years ago," Gaara said, seeing where Shisui was going with this.
Sasuke said nothing, but his expression told Naruto that he had already thought of this and had not wanted anyone else to bring it up.
"It's perfect," Naruto said slowly. "It will draw Tobi's focus away from whatever random people he's decided to target. And it will also make him angry, which means he'll be more likely to make a mistake."
Sasuke drew a breath to speak, but Naruto was continuing. "And as you said, this isn't his M.O. He likes the instant gratification of a spontaneous kill. All this stalking and tracking is a lot more work, and pretty soon he's going to get tired of it. Not to mention the fact that the entire NYPD now knows his face, so it will make staying here for an extended period of time more difficult. He is going to lose patience soon. The only reason he's messing around in the first place is that I'm safe here and he wants to draw me out. As soon as that happens, he'll think he's won," Naruto piled on, seeing Sasuke's anger flare as the balance of who to use as bait seemed to be shifting heavily in Naruto's favor.
Sasuke turned cold eyes to Shisui. "I think you are forgetting what that tattoo on your shoulder actually signifies, Shisui."
Shisui met his gaze unflinchingly. "I have always known what it means, Sasuke-sama," Shisui's tone was cold and formal. "It is you and Itachi who seem to think it means that I will blindly follow your orders. What it really means is that I do what is best for the Uchiha family."
"Is that what it means?" Itachi said, standing in the doorway, his hair loose, brushing against the bare skin of his back and chest. The dark blue silk pants rode low on his narrow hips. "I had always been told it was for loyalty and fealty to the head of the clan."
Shisui looked between the two brothers. "Those things are not mutually exclusive. If you want a robot, find someone else." He stood and walked past Itachi into the room that they shared.
Itachi's eyes followed him, but he made no move to join him in their room.
"I am assuming that this little council of war you set up here was not trying to figure out what to have for breakfast," Itachi said, walking forward and glancing at the papers that were spread out over the coffee table. "Are you going to tell me what you've been planning?"
Sasuke looked at his brother for a moment. "I'll tell you the parts you need to know."
Itachi's gaze on his younger brother was unreadable for a moment. Then he sighed, resignedly. "Just don't make the same mistakes that Father did," he said softly.
"I won't. Father got lost in his empire-building. I have no such ambitions. I find more gratification on achieving things through my own skills, rather than forcing people to give ground to me through brute force like he did," Sasuke said. "But that doesn't mean I will sit back and play by the rules with those who have no regard for them. Tobi isn't someone I will lose any sleep over taking out by any means necessary."
Itachi continued to look hard at Sasuke. "It's a slippery slope, little brother. Just be sure you always know where your feet are planted if you start down that path. Now, let's hear this plan of yours. I'll be the judge if it's worthy of an Uchiha."

They had finished their breakfast when Kakashi arrived. Sasuke quickly brought him up to speed on their plan, reluctantly agreeing that Naruto would be the one used as the primary bait, though still not willing to finalize whether he would remain with him or not.
"Ah, it's really too bad we never caught you at anything," Kakashi said to Sasuke as he leaned back in his chair, digesting all that Sasuke had explained. "You would have made a hell of a Jinchuuriki."
Sasuke arched an eyebrow. "I think you would have found me annoyingly bad at taking orders."
"Seems to be a trait that runs in the family," Itachi murmured, looking at Shisui. Surprisingly, the statement seemed to lift some of the heavy tension that had remained between the three Uchihas since earlier that morning, as Shisui's lips twitched in acknowledgement of the statement.
"The one piece I need to verify with you is the selection of the guards to this apartment. How widely known is it that you are personally vetting each of the assigned guards?" Sasuke queried.
Kakashi shrugged. "It's not like I've been broadcasting it, but it isn't a secret. There have been several people who've asked to join the team that I've turned down because I don't know them or am not sure of them. It's caused a bit of controversy in the department. After Tobi killed six of our men, we had a lot of volunteers to take on this assignment."
Sasuke nodded, satisfied at the answer.
Kakashi turned, his eyes suddenly taking on a humorous glint. "Oh, Naruto. I forgot to mention. We have relocated most of the Jinchuuriki until we know what's going on with the killings and whether Tobi is targeting them as well or not. Fuu told me to tell you 'hey', and asked if you wanted to catch up sometime when this is all over."
Naruto felt Sasuke's eyes on him, and remembered the conversation in the prison where Hidan had described his… affair with the female Jinchuuriki in fairly graphic detail. While Sasuke had been listening in. Naruto could feel his face go up in flames. "Oh, well… uh… tell her 'hi' as well."
"Tell her that Naruto will be busy for the foreseeable future and not to hold her breath," Sasuke said tersely.
Naruto shot a sideways glance, taking in the possessive expression on Sasuke's face. He knew that Sasuke still hadn't forgotten about the 'list' Kakashi had made Naruto fill out. It boggled Naruto's mind that Sasuke could possibly be insecure, given that - of the two - Naruto thought it was pretty obvious that Sasuke was by far the better catch of the two on almost any measure. The fact that it clearly weighed on the handsome politician made Naruto suddenly wish they were alone instead of a room full of people. He would be more than happy to assure Sasuke he had absolutely no interest in anyone else. No one but Gaara had stood by Naruto the way Sasuke had. And Sasuke had a lot more to lose by doing so.
Naruto's eyes had latched onto Sasuke's, some of what he was feeling obviously showing in his face given the look Sasuke was returning, but their gaze was broken when the phone in Sasuke's office began to ring. Sasuke stalked off to answer it, ignoring the amused look his brother shot him. Naruto hesitated a moment, then decided to follow. Sasuke hadn't pushed last night, hadn't forced Naruto to talk more than he wanted. Instead, he had stayed with Naruto until he had fallen asleep, then spent the rest of the night coming up with a plan to take Tobi. Naruto wasn't going to let his own insecurities give Sasuke doubts about what was between them.
Sasuke was aware the Naruto had followed him into his office as he picked up the phone.
"Sasuke-san?" Juugo's voice came from over the line.
"Yes. What is it, Juugo?" Sasuke said curtly. He felt Naruto's hand slide over his flat stomach, the tan fingers splayed possessively over his pale body. His stomach muscles clenched at the spike of lust that shot through him at the simple touch. He wasn't ready to admit to himself just how much he craved it. Needed it to be only for him.
"There is a bit of a situation in the lobby," Juugo was saying. Sasuke closed his eyes as he felt the warm puff of Naruto's breath on the back of his neck just before lips brushed against the sensitive flesh there.
"Oh?" Sasuke said, annoyed when his voice came out slightly breathless.
"Yes," Juugo continued, not noticing the change in tone. Naruto's teeth were now nipping slightly down the side of Sasuke's neck, while the hand on his stomach was steadily questing lower, making small circles over Sasuke's lower abs. Sasuke shifted his feet slightly wider apart as blood started to pool in his groin.
"There is a… person here who is demanding to see Naruto," Juugo said. "He says his name is Kiba Inuzuka. But we have no record of you expecting any such visitor, and he is not someone Kakashi has authorized either." Sasuke almost missed the man's words as Naruto's fingers had finally reached their destination and had closed around Sasuke's now rapidly hardening erection.
Sasuke grabbed Naruto's wrist, needing to stop the motion so he could focus on what the man was telling him. "C-can you send up his photo? Naruto is here. I'll see if he knows him."
"Spoilsport," Naruto whispered into Sasuke's ear, causing the dark-haired man to shudder slightly. Naruto chuckled, earning a glare from his lover. "You know there's no one else I want, Sasuke. Whatever happened before, it was never like this."
Sasuke didn't want to acknowledge that he had needed to hear the words, even though he knew that was why Naruto had said them. He turned, bringing up the program that linked him to the security cameras in the main lobby.
The image of a brown-haired man appeared on Sasuke's screen, and Naruto's eyes instantly widened in recognition. "I know that guy. He drove me to the airport when Tobi found out about my meeting with Jiraiya and Kabuto."
"Yes, Naruto knows him. We'll be down shortly," Sasuke spoke briefly then hung up, turning and grabbing Naruto by the hips and pulling their bodies sharply together. "We will definitely finish this later."
Naruto pressed a hard kiss to Sasuke's mouth in complete agreement, then looked down in amusement at the still painfully obvious erection Sasuke was sporting. "I think you'd better sit this visit out. I don't want anyone else getting to see you like that, and I've got to head down to the lobby now before Kiba takes the place apart. I have a feeling he's looking for Sakura."
"You're not going alone," Sasuke growled.
"I'll take Gaara. I think he'd enjoy meeting Sakura's friend anyway."
Sasuke appeared appeased, and Naruto turned, leaving Sasuke to get himself under control.

Naruto and Gaara stepped out of the elevator to see the shaggy brown haired man being detained by the main desk by the two policemen Kakashi had stationed there. Naruto grinned when he saw Kiba practically growling at the men detaining him.
"Yo, Kiba. I'm flattered and all, but I'm already seeing someone," he walked up and nodded at the two cops blocking the man's way. "Hey, Genma, Raidou. It's ok, I know him." They looked at Kiba warily, but stepped back as Naruto offered his hand to Kiba. "Good to see you again, man. Thanks again for the ride."
"No problem," the brown-haired man grasped Naruto's hand in a firm grip, looking over Naruto's shoulder to where Gaara stood silently observing them.
"Kiba this is Gaara," Naruto tilted his head to indicate the redhead. Gaara nodded his head curtly in greeting, clearly sizing Kiba up. There was a slight recognition in Kiba's eyes at the mention of Gaara's name, but he said nothing. "I'd offer to let you come up, but we're under pretty strict security here with the... situation I mentioned before," Naruto said, glancing around the entryway.
"Yeah, no kidding," Kiba said drily, shooting the cops another look before glaring at Naruto. "Mind telling me where the fuck Sakura is? I've been trying to get ahold of her for days now and she isn't calling me back," Kiba said, his voice low but making it clear he wasn't going to be brushed off.
"Protective custody," Gaara answered tersely. "She's fine."
Naruto opened his mouth to say more, when suddenly felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, a sign he had learned early to not ignore. He swung around, looking for the source of the threat that was making his skin crawl, but the only person besides the police and Juugo in the lobby was Mr. Maruboshi, an old man who often seemed to just wander about and 'people watch'. He'd been living in the building for more than a decade, according to Juugo. He was wrapped in his familiar shawl, clutching his walker as he sat on one of the lobby benches, looking out at the street, but had turned to watch the excitement of Kiba's arrival, his cap covering the rheumy blue eyes that Naruto knew well from seeing him many times before.
Naruto glanced around once more before turning back to Kiba and Gaara. "Sorry… I'm getting paranoid."
Kiba laughed, but his voice also sounded a bit tense. "This place is crawling with cops, for people like us it's normal to feel paranoid." Naruto mentally agreed as he noted both Kiba and Gaara glancing around the lobby uncomfortably as well. "If she needed protection you could have sent her my way. Too many on the force are in somebody's pocket. It's a risk to have the cops looking out for her."
"We were careful. Kakashi hand-picked the guy who's watching her. Tobi singled her out when she filed that medical report for me. She had to go into hiding as soon as we got back into the country, so there wasn't time to come up with other options," Naruto said grimly.
Gaara gave Naruto a sharp look, surprised that the blond was saying so much.
Kiba's eyes narrowed. "And she's safe? You know for a fact?"
"Yeah. It's under control for now," Naruto snickered. "She gave the cop a message telling us to get off our asses and finish the job or she'd come and do it for us."
Kiba blinked, then shook his head and laughed. "Yeah… that pretty much sounds like her." He sighed, "And she probably meant it too." Naruto and Gaara exchanged amused looks, in complete agreement on that point.
Again, Naruto felt a prickle along his skin, but a quick glance assured him that no one else had entered the lobby, the mirrored glass preventing anyone from outside looking in. He turned back to find Kiba had grabbed one of the business cards advertising the apartment complex from the desk and had written his number on the back of it before handing it to Naruto. "If things change and you need me, you can reach me here."
Naruto took the card, quickly committing the number to memory. "You know, it might not be good that you came here. I'm pretty sure we're being watched. You have a place to lie low for a while?"
Kiba snorted in amusement. "I might have a few, but who's counting?"
"This is too open," Gaara cut in, his voice tense, giving Naruto the sense that he wasn't the only one feeling like they were being watched. He didn't know if he felt reassured or more nervous by that fact. "Let's get back upstairs. I don't like it."
"Me neither," Naruto clapped a hand on Kiba's back. "I'll keep you posted, man."
Kiba nodded, then turned and headed back out.
Gaara was already shoving Naruto back in the elevator before the man had left the lobby.

The rest of the day was spent working out the final details of the plan. Itachi and Kakashi were kept out of the loop on a few parts, much to both of the men's irritation, but Sasuke simply shrugged, saying something about needing to finalize a few things.
Everyone agreed that the sooner this could be placed in motion, the better it would be. It went unsaid that no one believed Naruto would accept any plan that required much of a wait time after what had happened with Maria and the threat to Sakura.
"So the first step will be to prime the pump," Sasuke said as the men were seated in his living room, having finished dinner. "Karin will be by in the morning to prep you for the press conference," he continued, noting the way Naruto's expression tensed at the mention of the campaign manager's name. "She has already leaked certain information to both the press and the Japanese consulate. It will be untraceable back to us, but of course Tobi will figure it out."
Sasuke smirked at the thought of the anger the killer would feel at having his 'failure' thrown back in his face so publicly. Naruto was still stuck on the fact that he was going to have to sit down and talk with the woman whom many believed had been having an affair with Sasuke while Naruto was in Suna.
Sasuke noted Naruto's distracted expression, and arched an eyebrow at him. "Problem?"
"No," Naruto said, going over to the sink in the bar and pouring himself a glass of water, wishing he dared drink something stronger. "So… how are we handling the fact that I'm about to become front-page news, and I'm living with you?"
Sasuke shrugged as though it was a completely casual question. "Are you uncomfortable about our relationship becoming public?"
Naruto shifted, feeling suddenly nervous at having this conversation in front of so many people. But he answered it anyway. "I'm not the one with anything to lose by it. You're the one with the political career on the line. Not to mention the shit with Kabuto."
Sasuke looked completely unperturbed. "Suigetsu has already fixed all the back-files for you and the rest of the Jinchuuriki. If anyone starts digging, they won't find anything that can't be explained by your cover. And with this new angle of you being the victim of a deranged serial killer, finally 'found by your people' or whatever bullshit spin Karin will put on it, you will be nothing but an asset to me, politically."
"And Kabuto?" Naruto persisted.
"Is happily dead," Sasuke said flatly. "And the investigation along with him."
Kakashi checked his watch and stood. "So the dominoes are all in place. Tomorrow we knock the first one over, and hope they fall like you planned."
Sasuke nodded, standing as well to see the man to the elevator. "You'll see to arrangements on your side, and keep a tight handle on the security in the lobby?"
Kakashi nodded as he left.
When he returned, Gaara was unscrewing the air vent in the kitchen, with Naruto casually leaning against the wall watching him as though this was a completely normal pastime for them.
"I want to spend a bit of time mapping out the air ducts… at least a few of the main ones to be sure they match with the blueprints," Gaara explained. "If there is a chance Tobi is going to come in this way, I want to make sure we know all the access points and have them covered."
Sasuke shrugged, agreeing that it was probably a good precaution.
Naruto seemed content to watch the redhead, until Sasuke reminded him, "I believe you have some unfinished business to attend to."
He turned and walked to their bedroom, not bothering to look back to see if Naruto was following him.
Sasuke heard the door to the bedroom close softly behind him, but didn't turn around to see Naruto approach. He closed his eyes when he felt Naruto's hands close over his hip bones and slide up to splay across his stomach, fighting the sound that wanted to escape his throat at the familiar touch that he could never get enough of.
"You know," Naruto's low voice rumbled in his ear, and Sasuke leaned his head back slightly, allowing Naruto better access to his neck. "You really don't have to worry about Fuu or anyone else, bastard. Like I'd ever go to anyone else when I have you."
Sasuke pressed back, feeling Naruto's hard body against his, the rigid erection pressing against him through their pants. It always made him feel slightly better knowing that Naruto seemed to need it just as much as he did… that he wasn't the only one with this unquenchable thirst, this ever-growing obsession. He supposed it wasn't healthy, but there was nothing he could do about it.
He tugged on Naruto's wrist, bringing the man closer to the bed before pushing him down on it. "Shirt off. Now."
Naruto arched a brow in amusement, but tugged off the T-shirt he was wearing, laying back down on the bed in just his jeans, watching Sasuke. "Don't think that just because you're calling the shots in the situation with Tobi means you get to call the shots in here as well," Naruto said, reaching up and grabbing Sasuke's shirt with his fist, tugging him down hard on the bed next to him.
Sasuke smirked, feeling his pants becoming almost unbearably tight, but not wanting to rush through the anticipation. "Hn," he slid his hand over the planes of Naruto's chest and stomach, feeling the flesh tense and quiver beneath his touch. "Somehow I can't imagine you ever being passive."
Naruto rolled over, straddling Sasuke's thighs as he deftly undid the buttons on the man's shirt. "Too bad you didn't wear your bathrobe all day. This morning was the first time I've seen you in it. I really wanted to be the one to take you out of it."
"You never let me keep anything on in here long enough for me to need it," Sasuke murmured as Naruto tugged the last button free, and pulled the shirt off his lover's body.
"Hmmmm," Naruto agreed as he lowered himself, settling further down between Sasuke's thighs. Sasuke shuddered as Naruto's fingers moved next to the fastenings of the pale man's pants, slowly pulling down the zipper. "Well, why break from tradition now?"
Sasuke fisted his hand into the blond hair as he felt Naruto's mouth close around him. His mind - exhausted from lack of sleep and focusing on lining up every variable and contingency for the upcoming week - was blissfully wiped blank as his back arched and his hips thrust up into the wet heat.
For the moment, this was all that existed.

Naruto shifted nervously as the bright-haired woman sat across from him, eyeing him with open curiosity but no hostility. Her long, vibrant red hair seemed to set off her 'sexy librarian' glasses well, and her elegantly tailored suit made the most of her figure. She was attractive, intelligent, and had a more-than-acceptable career ahead of her. But as Naruto shifted his gaze to Sasuke, it was clear that Sasuke had absolutely no interest in the woman. The cameras had made the most of their proximity to each other when the rumors of a relationship between the politician and his campaign manager were flying, but sitting in the same room, Naruto realized that there was never a chance of anything between them.
He felt himself relax slightly. It wasn't that he had doubted Sasuke when he'd told him there had been nothing between him and the woman, but Naruto's own doubts about whether he was really 'good enough' to be in a real relationship with Sasuke made him feel insecure about any comparison between himself and Karin.
She smiled at him brightly. "Don't be nervous. I already know everything."
At Naruto's horrified glance at Sasuke, she cleared her throat and clarified. "Well, not everything, but enough to know that Sui has made up a bunch of illegal documents to legitimize you that will more than pass muster with anyone who goes fishing. So you don't have to worry. By the time we finish spinning our story about the brave little boy who escaped a vicious serial killer, living on the streets in hiding until he was old enough to help make sure nothing like this happened to any other child, the City will be at your feet. The EMT and the family you saved are already telling their stories. Jiraiya and Kakashi will be hinting at your role, playing it up to be mysterious and important without giving any details away. The conspiracy theorists will go wild. All you have to do is smile and show your baby blues to the camera, and you'll be beating off admirers with a stick."
Sasuke's eyes narrowed at that last comment, and Karin grinned wickedly at him. "That's right, Mr. High-and-mighty. You'd better get ready for some serious competition for blondie here. He's about to become probably a bigger celebrity than you are." She turned back to Naruto, her eyes running over him assessingly. "It helps that you're such nice eye candy. The press love heroes that look good on camera. It will guarantee you more air time. And you look so innocent, too! Sasuke, are you sure he's actually a killer?"
She reached forward to brush a lock of hair out of Naruto's face. Naruto flinched back, and she snickered at Sasuke's scowl. "Oh, relax. Now, here is a list of the questions you are likely to be asked, as well as a list of things that you should never say or admit to under any circumstances. We're going to role play a bit, where I will be the press and ask you things. I want you to be comfortable with your answers without sounding stiff and rehearsed. We have four hours before the press conference, and we will need every second."
Naruto looked pleadingly over at Gaara as though hoping he would somehow re-open the air vent and get him the fuck out of there. Being in the spotlight was something the two men had avoided for so long that the thought of it was making him queasy. Even though Tobi already knew where he was and the Jinchuuriki program was now in the open, Naruto felt like he was about to hyperventilate.
He jolted when he felt a hand slide along his shoulders, and looked up to see Sasuke standing next to him. "Breathe. Karin is the best. She'll have you ready. You can do this. You don't even have to lie about anything. Which is good, because you really suck at lying."
Naruto let out a shaky laugh. "Ok. Well… let's get started."

They had been going for over two hours when the elevator chimed. Juugo walked in carrying a basket of what appeared to be origami paper flowers.
"We searched this thoroughly. There are no wires, no chemicals… it's just… paper flowers. It was delivered anonymously this morning. The card is to Uzumaki Naruto," Juugo said offering it to Naruto.
Naruto ignored the card, instead looking at the flowers themselves.
"What is it?" Sasuke asked, feeling a slight unease at the intensity of Naruto's examination of the flowers.
"It's a message from Tobi. He's going after Konan," Naruto said. Konan had practiced origami as a way to relax. She had also disguised a few C4 bombs in clever origami designs. It was her signature mark back in the day when she had been an assassin, before building the Akatsuki with Nagato.
"We have no way to warn her," Sasuke eyed Naruto, surprised at the calm expression that was on the blond's face. They hadn't spoken extensively about his relationship with Konan and Nagato, but from what he had observed in the police station the first time he had seen Naruto, it had seemed to be a strong bond.
Slowly, Naruto smiled. "Oh, there's no need to warn her. If anyone needs warning, it would be Tobi. I just hope she doesn't kill him for us."
"Why?" Sasuke asked, unsure why that would be a bad thing.
"Because we'll never find the body. And I want closure," Naruto said. He grinned ferally at the thought of how that encounter was likely to go. So many people had underestimated Konan. She made sure they generally didn't live to regret it. He realized that - if Konan decided to let Tobi live - he would likely be doubly frustrated when the press conference aired. "All right. Let's finish this up. We have a press conference to get to."

Tobi stood at the rear wall of the enormous Hampton estate. He was pretty sure he had stayed out of range of all the security cameras, but he had seen a few other devices that he didn't recognize. He could always have requested a meeting with Konan directly, but the woman was careful, and always had at least five armed guards with her in any of her 'business' meetings. Which made sense given the men she typically did business with, but it was incredibly inconvenient for him. He needed to get her alone. He was sure he could kill her quickly if she was on her own.
He looked again at the line of cameras and other electronic equipment lining the wall and cursed quietly under his breath. "Bitch."
"Now, where are your manners?" A smooth female voice came from behind him, causing Tobi to jump and spin around.
Konan stood there, no guards around her. She held a small pen in her hand.
"In case you're wondering, this is a deadman's switch," she said conversationally. "The entire estate, from the buildings to the grounds to the walls, are wired with C4. If I die and release my grip on this switch, the whole thing goes up, including anyone who tries to kill me. I bring it to all my 'important meetings'."
Tobi eyed the switch, considering his options.
"I would kill you myself right here," the woman said with a casual confidence that Tobi suddenly realized was likely not a boast. "But I have a feeling that Naruto wants to handle this personally."
Tobi circled around behind the woman, hoping to shake her composure. "How did you know I'd be coming?"
Konan smiled coldly. "I've been watching you. While you were watching him. Ever since you came to me offering to 'help' me find the other Jinchuurikis. I remembered you from back when Nagato forced Naruto to join the Akatsuki. We looked into your background. We've known who you were all along. Which is why Nagato had no interest in recruiting you. You're too unstable."
Tobi narrowed his eyes at the characterization. "Why did you stop killing the Jinchuurikis? You believed that they were responsible for bringing down the Akatsuki. Why stop?"
Konan's face had no expression. "Because there is only one Jinchuuriki I need to talk with now. But I will wait until he's settled things with you first."
Tobi bristled at the casual assumption that Naruto would come out the victor in a battle between them. "Maybe you should have your conversation with him first, while you still have the chance."
Konan's eyes shone with amusement. "Oh, I'm not worried about having plenty of time to discuss things with Naruto." She turned her back on Tobi, a clear insult to his abilities.
"You're making a very bad mistake," he said softly.
"Oh, no," she replied, not even bothering to turn around. "You're the one making the mistake. You should have stuck with the helpless civilians who don't know how to fight back, Kyuubi. This is a different game we play here."
He watched her walk calmly through a narrow back gate. Four guards he hadn't even noticed jumped down from the trees and followed her inside.
He clenched his fists in impotent fury. Nothing was going as planned.
He needed release.
He slowly walked to the main street, lifting his hand to a bright red convertible that was driving down the road. A young woman pulled to a stop. "Do you need anything?" she asked. Her parents had always warned her about hitchhikers, but this wasn't the city. Anyone walking out here was likely a millionaire. Plus, the older man was handsome, with an air of mystery and power about him. She smiled brightly, feeling her heart flutter a bit as the man smiled slowly back.
"Yes, actually… my cell phone seems to have run out of battery. I'm supposed to be meeting someone for lunch, and I wanted to let them know I'd be running a bit late. Unless you'd be willing to give me a lift?"
The girl felt a flicker of unease, but squashed it down. She wanted to live a little. Maybe she'd get to see which mansion this man lived in. "Sure. Hop in."
Tobi smiled. Yes, this was exactly what he needed.
This is a different game we play here.
Tobi fought down the surge of anger he felt at the contemptuous way Konan had dismissed him as a threat, so sure that he could never touch Naruto.
She was wrong. She had no idea how close he was. It was almost time.

Naruto fidgeted with his tie as he rode down the elevator with Gaara, Sasuke and Karin. He couldn't believe he was about to go on camera (something he had always avoided) acknowledging his real name (something he avoided even more) and proclaiming his part in the task force targeting Tobi (something even in his wildest nightmares he would never have considered). He decided abruptly he must have lost his fucking mind.
Karin had suggested having it on the Japanese embassy's grounds, rather than at Sasuke's building to avoid overly publicizing their address or overtly throwing out the fact that they were living together. They wouldn't hide it, but Karin advised that they shouldn't flaunt it either. They had to keep this focused on Naruto's identity, not his love life.
"Stop fidgeting," Sasuke said, batting Naruto's hands away.
"You're sure this is a good idea? I mean… even though we're not going to be like… making out on camera, people are going to put two and two together when they find out where I'm living."
Sasuke tugged Naruto's tie, bringing their faces within a breath of kissing. "We've discussed this. And I have absolutely no problem with people finding out we're together. It will keep them from thinking they have any chance with you."
"Ok, guys. Keep it the bedroom for now. We need to let them get used to the idea slowly, not have half of them die of shock or nosebleeds right off the bat," Karin said, humor lacing her voice as the elevator chimed, signaling they'd reached the lobby. "When we get back from the embassy, you can spend the rest of the afternoon locked in Sasuke's bedroom if you want. But for now, I need Naruto to focus on the talking points I gave him."
When Sasuke made no sign of stepping back, Karin sighed and smacked him in the back with her purse. "Sasuke… let your boyfriend get a little blood back in his brain."
Sasuke stepped back, wearing a smug look at the slightly glazed expression on Naruto's face. "It's a thirty minute drive to the embassy. He has plenty of time," Sasuke smirked.
Karin rolled her eyes. Who would have guess that her boss – whom everyone had basically written off as asexual years ago – would be behaving like this. If she hadn't witnessed it with her own eyes, she'd never have believed it.
Naruto blinked, then jammed his elbow into Sasuke's ribs. "Asshole. This 'press conference' stuff is easy for you. Leave me alone and let me concentrate."
Gaara's face showed no expression, but his eyes were lit with amusement as they walked out of the elevator.
Naruto had turned to say something to his friend, but paused as he saw a face that he didn't recognize when they entered the lobby. "Hey," he said, addressing one of the police officers. "You're new, right?"
The officer smiled stiffly. "Yes. Genma is out with the flu. I offered to take his slot this week."
Naruto smiled and held out his hand. "I'm Naruto. Guess we'll be seeing you around for a bit. I'm sure Kakashi briefed you on all you need to know."
The officer nodded, taking Naruto's hand. "Mizuki. I'm sure I'll see you around."
-xXx-
to be continued...
Note: So I wasn't sure where to cut this part, and I ended up writing almost a third to a half of what will be the next chapter. Tobi and Naruto will finally come face to face for their final conflict (though depending on how long that scene goes, it might not be finished in the next chapter). After that it should just be one chapter to wrap things up!
- 30
- 31
- 32
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Deception - COMPLETE