Adult-FanFiction.org : Naruto

Insomnia	By : MisatosPenPen Category: Naruto > Yaoi - Male/Male > Kakashi/Sasuke Views: 6381 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or its characters. I make no profit from this story.

Chapter List
- 7
- 8
The next day, Sasuke came over in the evening with take out. Sasuke was back to being silent as they ate. Kakashi figured he was still processing all that had happened in the last two months. The start of the exams, the month of training, the extended battle with Gaara . . . Orochimaru. Sasuke’s eyes were oddly blank as they ate. Kakashi didn’t watch him but looked at him casually.
Sasuke had clearly been training during the day though he had showered before coming here. Kakashi wondered if he had to hide out from the hospital staff who were likely trying to find him. Next time, they were sure to tie him to the bed or just keep him knocked out.
“Did you train with Naruto or Sakura?” Kakashi asked.
“No. I don’t know what they were doing, but I didn’t seek them out and they didn’t come to training grounds we usually use.”
The Forest of Death had helped with their teamwork, but Kakashi had been complicit in tearing them apart during the month of training and last part of the exam. He would work on that, once missions got back to normal. He couldn’t deny that he favored Sasuke. Naruto was important to him as his sensei’s son, but he felt more connected to Sasuke who was much like himself. Sakura . . . needed to grow up. In his experience, girls matured faster, and they had greater skill in chakra control—as Sakura did—but Sakura was too besotted with Sasuke. Rin had been in love with Kakashi, but she never let that ruin her focus; she was already a skilled medical-nin at Sakura’s age. He admitted to himself that he was unfair to her.
But tonight, he couldn’t tear his attention from Sasuke. He smiled at the length of his bangs. “Your hair is past your chin. Let me trim it.”
Sasuke lifted his head to look at Kakashi with unfocused eyes as if he hadn’t understood him. Kakashi realized he’d been lost in thought.
“Your bangs. They’re really long. Your hair could use a trim.”
“Hn.”
After they cleaned up their dinner, Kakashi put a towel over Sasuke’s shoulders. Unlike a normal human being, he took out a kunai. He did use a comb to even out his hair before he cut it with the kunai.
“Your hair is beautiful and soft. I know mine is gravity defying but yours is more impressive. Never change it.”
“The back doesn’t sag no matter how long I let it get.”
“There are ninja in this world that used to run when they saw the hair of Yondamie. A few flee when they see my silver brush. They will run from this. A trademark of your own.”
Kakashi could see Sasuke’s face in a mirror. He was smiling softly. He kissed Sasuke’s hair when he finished.
Sasuke took a quick shower to make sure all the cut strands were gone. Kakashi hesitated to dump the hair from the towel in the trash. He did though. He swept the hair that fell to the floor against the wall and stopped when Sasuke came out of the bathroom. Even moist, his hair wasn’t completely wilted.
Kakashi was staring without realizing it and it made Sasuke a little uncomfortable. Sasuke shuffled a little in place which made Kakashi look away even if it was briefly. What else could he look at when Sasuke was within sight?
Sasuke was wearing Kakashi’s robe. It was nearly long enough on his to reach the floor.
Kakashi finally tore his eyes away to finish sweeping up the strands of ebony hair on the floor.
Sasuke didn’t move, just watched Kakashi sweep. It wasn’t entirely awkward, but he didn’t know what to do.
“Um, can we . . .” He didn’t know how to ask.
Kakashi looked at him and smiled. “Whatever you wish.” Sometimes he was bold, other times awkward. He reached out to Sasuke, threading his fingers into Sasuke’s damp hair and pulled him to him. He loved him so much. He wished he could tell him. He would tell Sasuke he loved him over and over. But Sasuke had told him not to. Kakashi would never break any rule Sasuke set in their ill-advised relationship. Despite their age disparity, Sasuke really had control. Sasuke would merely be embarrassed if this got out; Kakashi would be in prison. Sasuke could betray him easily for the smallest slight, but he trusted Sasuke wouldn’t throw him to the wolves. However, that didn’t mean he felt he could antagonize the young man.
Sasuke felt a little taller against him now. That made the future when they could be confident in their relationship feel closer.
Kakashi shut off the light and pulled Sasuke to the bed. He let Sasuke sit while he took off his shirt and pants. Sasuke shrugged off the robe. Kakashi knelt in front of him, put his hands on Sasuke’s slim waist, and took Sasuke’s hardening cock in his mouth.
Sasuke moaned and leaned back, bracing himself with his arms locked. As Kakashi sucked and licked at his organ, Sasuke shifted his weight to only hand in order to pet Kakashi’s hair with his left hand. Kakashi hummed with pleasure at his hair being played with. The vibration made Sasuke’s mouth gape open and release a chocked sigh.
Kakashi’s large hands moved up and down Sasuke’s sides then down to his hips, caressing and warming his skin.
Kakashi stopped to take Sasuke’s balls in his mouth, using his tongue aggressively to pleasure him.
He brought Sasuke close to the edge, Sasuke hand tightening in his hair, scratching his scalp. Kakashi pulled away to grab the lube. He pulled Sasuke closer to the edge of the bed to find his entrance. He didn’t go back to sucking him off, but kissed Sasuke’s taut stomach. He gave it a long lick as he pressed his fingers inside him. All the training for the last exam left Sasuke with an almost adult musculature. With his muscles taut in denied release, Kakashi could trace them with his lips and tongue. He stretched to lick up his developing pectorals to his nipples. Sasuke leaned forward to encourage him, taking his hand from the bed and using both hands to grab at Kakashi’s head.
The cry Sasuke released when Kakashi pressed his fingers against his prostate almost made Kakashi cum. Sasuke hadn’t cum, but he was so close. Kakashi made sure he was well stretched then leaned away to guide Sasuke to lay straight on his back. He lubed himself and moved between Sasuke’s legs.
First, he kissed him, denying them both for a little longer. But it was almost as erotic as penetration. Sasuke grabbed his shoulders, his fingers digging into his muscle in an almost massaging way. He then let his hands glide down to his triceps. Kakashi loved the way he touched him. He broke the kiss to finally enter him now that Sasuke had come back from the edge somewhat.
Sasuke groaned. Worried, Kakashi asked, “Are you okay?”
“Yeah. You’re so hot.”
Kakashi smiled. He knew what Sasuke meant, but it stroked his ego, nevertheless. Sasuke was more than fine, as he started rocking to fuck himself on Kakashi’s cock. Kakashi’s smile grew.
“Kakashi,” Sasuke whispered as Kakashi started moving.
Kakashi figured he should say something encouraging as well. “You’re so beautiful and you feel wonderful. I—” Kakashi cut himself off. “You know, don’t you?” he whispered to him.
“Yeah.”
Kakashi growled softly and angled to make Sasuke cry out in pleasure. He didn’t keep it up for long since Sasuke was much closer to coming than Kakashi.
Sasuke seemed to catch on to that. He tightened up and put his hands on Kakashi’s chest to tease his nipples.
And then Sasuke slid his hand up his neck and to his cheek. Fuck, that felt good. His fingers teased his lips igniting sparks within him. Kakashi’s thrusting made it hard for Sasuke to keep his hand on his face, so he put it on Kakashi’s neck, holding on and feeling his rapid pulse.
They were both reaching their peak. Kakashi sped up and made sure Sasuke would cum first. The younger man struggled to sigh his name as he came. Kakashi let himself fall over the edge with him. His mind blanked in the pleasure.
After a few seconds, Kakashi lay on his side beside Sasuke to catch his breath. “I’ll get a washcloth to clean you off in a sec.”
Sasuke hummed.
Kakashi got up and fulfilled his promise, washing himself up in the bathroom and returning with a warm washcloth. He cleaned up the mess they made, threw the cloth into the shower, and returned to his place on his side against the wall. Sasuke hadn’t moved, but he wasn’t asleep yet. Kakashi put his arm over his chest.
“Tomorrow, you should sleep alone.”
Sasuke turned to look at him and pouted with genuine anger.
“We can’t spend every night together. There will be times when neither I nor Shiba can be with you. Trust me, I would love to spend every night with you. Once you’re sixteen or a jounin we won’t have to hide our relationship. I won’t get in trouble then. I’ll move in with you and sleep with you every night. If you’ll still want me.” He kissed the slightly less farrowed forehead. “I’m not pushing you away; you just need to learn to sleep alone again.”
At first, it appeared that Sasuke was angry when he turned his back on Kakashi, but the way he pressed back against him revealed he wanted to be spooned. Kakashi smiled and conformed his body to Sasuke’s and draped his arm over him.
-----
Sasuke went out to the training grounds alone. He stretched and did some warmup exercises before he went for a run. Not a jog but sprints, working on that extreme speed Kakashi had drilled into him to use the Chidori.
Kakashi must have kept tabs on them because a bird circled over him as he finished his first sprint and called to him. Kakashi was summoning all three to a training session together.
They met on a rooftop.
“You two were training on your own,” Kakashi said. “Since none of you were working on the cleanup, I decided we should train together.”
Sasuke caught the accusation at Sakura, she wasn’t working on the reconstruction or training. She was probably shopping or just laying about. At least he and Naruto were training. Sasuke was sure he’d be able to use Chidori three times in a month or two. He considered this a waste of his time.
“Hey, Kakashi-sensei, can you teach me chidori too?” Naruto yelled. He was so loud.
Kakashi sighed. “Look, I know you want to learn but it’s not as simple as all that.”
“What the heck is that? How is that fair? Come on, show me!”
Sasuke wished he could stuff cotton in his ears.
Sakura used the distraction to turn to Sasuke. “Sasuke-kun, thank you. I mean, you know, for rescuing me from the Suna-nin.”
“No,” Sasuke said.
“Huh?”
“Alright,” Kakashi relented, “to start, try gathering some chakra in your palm.”
“It wasn’t me who rescued you,” Sasuke explained. “It was Naruto,” he said with a little resentment.
“Like this? Like this?” Naruto yelled as he tried to summon chakra into his hand without any progress.
“Oh, come on, Sasuke,” Sakura said dismissively. “You’re just being overly modest again. Sure, Naruto’s gotten stronger but against that sand ninja?”
“I’m telling you the truth. You should have seen him; he fought desperately to save you. He showed a kind of strength he’d never shown before. Up until now, you haven’t really seen him, so you haven’t seen his strength either.”
Naruto was squatting with his focus on his upturned palm growling with effort. Nothing was happening. It looked more like he was trying to take a shit. “That must have been the Chidori!”
Or gas, Sasuke thought.
“Naruto rescued me?” She gave a soft smile.
For the first time in his life, Sasuke felt a pang of jealousy at seeing Sakura smile at Naruto. That soft, affectionate smile being directed at that loser made him frown. He still had no love for Sakura, but that moment felt like more sincere affection than any of many displays of ‘love’ she’d shown him.
Sasuke looked at Kakashi, still humoring Naruto, but not really trying to teach him anything.
He had been looked at with that kind of sincere affection. By Kakashi. He knew if he saw Kakashi look at anyone the way he looked at Sasuke, or how Sakura looked at Naruto now, he would die inside. It would feel like losing everything. Perhaps he really did love Kakashi. Sakura’ smile at Naruto sparked jealousy; Kakashi’s abandonment would devastate him.
Naruto finally tired himself out.
“Okay,” Kakashi said. “We need to get some real training in today since none of us have missions.”
“Come on, let’s get to it,” Sasuke called. “No more wasting time.”
“That’s easy for you to say!” Naruto screamed. “You already know it!”
“Tsk.”
“Honestly, Naruto,” Kakashi interjected, “the Chidori isn’t suited to you. You actually need a Sharingan to use the Chidori effectively.”
“Huh?! Ahhh!”
Sasuke glanced at Sakura beside him. She didn’t care about learning the Chidori or training. She had no desire to get stronger. At least Naruto had ambition. Sakura just wanted to attract Sasuke’s attention.
It annoyed him.
“Let’s head to one of the training grounds,” Kakashi said.
Once they arrive, Sasuke said, “I think we should spar, one on one.”
“Alright,” Kakashi said. “You first with—” Sasuke was sure he’d said Naruto or himself. “—Sakura.”
“Huh?” they both said.
“You two rarely spar.”
Sasuke was thrown off; he actually wanted to fight Kakashi. Sasuke didn’t consider Sakura a threat, or even a challenge, but he also didn’t want to hurt her. She couldn’t match him in strength or power. Yeah, she was smart—brilliant even—but brains could only get you so far in a fight, as Shikamaru showed. He’d been told all about the fights he missed, and Sasuke wasn’t surprised by the result.
Naruto stood there with his arms behind his head frowning. Kakashi was just smiling serenely. Sasuke huffed and got into position.
Sakura also got into position. She was nervous. She knew she was no match for Sasuke, and she didn’t want to hurt him either.
“Don’t hold back, Sakura,” Sasuke said.
“I don’t want you to use kid gloves either,” she said without any real emotion behind it. He knew she was most afraid of embarrassing herself in front of him. Sasuke thought Kakashi was being cruel.
They made the sign to begin the match. Sasuke didn’t move. He wanted Sakura to make the first move. But she was hesitating. She probably was better at defending. Sasuke leapt back and threw three shuriken at her. She was able to leap away, using chakra to propel her higher than her muscles could. At least she was good at chakra control.
I could just hit her with a genjutsu and end this quick, but it defeats the purpose. Maybe against Kakashi it could be a challenge, but these others would fall in a moment.
Ninjutsu would just lead to her dodging all day. He didn’t want to hit her, but the only way they could truly spar would to be to get in close and use taijutsu. He jumped toward her without weapons drawn. She stepped out of the way but dodged rather than shield herself from a swipe of his arm. Normally, his reach would be longer with a kunai in his hand.
Just as he feared with the ninjutsu, Sakura just kept dodging, never engaging. After three minutes of this, Sasuke stopped. “Sakura, are you just going to avoid me? How can you get better if you don’t engage?”
“Sasuke’s right,” Kakashi said. “Being able to avoid attacks is important, but you need to improve your taijutsu. End the fight.”
They ritually ended the spar.
“I’ll teach you more about taijutsu,” Kakashi said. “Sasuke, spar with Naruto.”
“Hn.”
Sasuke was feeling a little jealous of Sakura getting so much attention from Kakashi, however, after seeing Naruto defeat Gaara, he was determined not to lose to Naruto.
Two hours later, Naruto was put on his ass, Sasuke was exhausted, and Sakura was pretty bruised up and tired. Kakashi hadn’t broken a sweat.
“Alright, that’s enough for today.”
Sakura groaned. “Thanks, sensei,” she said. She wasn’t happy about the beating, but she did learn something.
Naruto wasn’t as tried as they were, but he was ready to quit for the day as well. “Hey, Sakura, want to get ramen?”
“No, I’m going to get a bath.”
“Oh, okay,” he said dejectedly. He followed her from the training grounds. Sasuke purposely took longer than normal to gather his weapons. Naruto left most of his lying around; Sasuke took those too.
Kakashi turned to watch him.
When Sasuke holstered the last kunai, he asked, “Can you resist genjutsu?”
“To an extent. The Sharingan gives a level of protection, but I’m not an Uchiha. There are also several techniques to break a genjutsu. You know most of them.”
“Yeah. Can you resist a Sharingan genjutsu?”
“You want to try?”
“Yeah. If you know any techniques that will help me resist my brother’s genjutsu, that will be helpful.”
“Okay. Hit me with it.” Kakashi pushed his headband up.
Sasuke activated his Sharingan and looked Kakashi in the eyes. The world didn’t change, just a slight waver like a breeze. Then Sasuke morphed into his older brother. The thirteen-year-old that they both had known. He was dressed in the casual outfit Sasuke remembered him wearing the most.
“Interesting choice. Let’s test the strength of your illusion.” Kakashi put his hands together in a release sign, but the genjutsu didn’t waver. “Very good. Now I’ll try disrupting my chakra.”
Using the same hand sign to focus, Kakashi manipulated his chakra. The illusion did waver, but it remained. “You are good. A true Uchiha. Well, without an ally to disrupt my chakra from the outside world, the only thing left is power of will.”
Still using that same sign, he tried to brute force his way out of the illusion. Itachi’s face softened, lost the tear toughs from his face, then they reappeared. His hair shortened, then lengthened. Sasuke was fighting to keep the genjutsu going. Finally, the figure of Itachi collapsed, leaving Sasuke kneeling on the ground. Kakashi was out of breath as well and sank to a knee.
“That . . . was very good. You truly are . . . a talented heir to the Uchiha. Better than I even expected. Well done.”
Sasuke growled.
“You were just sparing; you don’t have all your chakra. But I also have a Sharingan, remember. You’d dominate anyone else. Well, except Itachi.” Kakashi stood up. “That’s enough.”
“No,” Sasuke countered with a strong voice. Even if his body was tried, his spirit was not. “Trap me in a genjutsu. I need to practice.”
Kakashi considered. “Alright, but I won’t start with the Sharingan; we’re both tired.”
Kakashi put his hands together. Kakashi’s body flickered like a flame and the breeze rose carrying an unusual number of leaves. Itachi flickered into being in his place. This time, he was wearing his ANBU uniform, the clothes Kakashi remembered him wearing.
Sasuke grit his teeth. He tried the release seal, but it did nothing. “Damn it!” He disrupted his chakra and the illusion nearly collapsed. He tried again and the jutsu broke.
Again, they were both taken to their knees.
“Good, good,” Kakashi panted. “Your brother’s will be more powerful; I didn’t use my Sharingan. We will work on it.”
Kakashi stood and went over to Sasuke who was on his knees. Kakashi crouched and put a hand on his head. “You’re coming along excellently, Sasuke. I’m proud of you.”
-----
The next morning, Kakashi went to get a mission for the day, but there was nothing outside the village available. They preferred to him on standby inside the village along with most of ANBU and the highest level jounin. So, he sauntered out on the large balcony to decide what to do the rest of the day. He was surprised to see Jiraiya leaning on a railing. He approached him.
“Long time no see.” He leaned back against the railing. “How many years has it been since you came back to the village?”
“Kakashi,” Jiraiya addressed him seriously.
“Hm?”
“I’ll train Naruto from now on.”
That was a surprise.
“Sandaime was wise to put Naruto under your supervision. However, things could get out of hand even for someone at your level.”
“Whatever do you mean?”
“I’ve been keeping a close eye on Orochimaru ever since he fled the village because I knew that he would come back someday. He kept mostly to himself for a long time, but then . . .”
“Then?”
“He joined a certain organization.”
“Organization? What’s its purpose?”
“At first, they stuck to small-scale cloak and dagger stuff. Nothing dramatic. But you know something big was coming considering who they are. Almost all of them are S-Rank criminals in the Bingo Book. Uchiha Itachi is among them.”
That name made Kakashi flinch.
“When nine shinobi like that get together, you can bet it’s not to do charity work. You must already have an idea where this is headed.”
Fuck.
“Orochimaru recently withdrew from the organization. At about the same time, the group split into pairs and dispersed. They are collecting jutsu and . . . other things.”
“Any proof that one item on their shopping list is the Kyuubi?”
“I’m just saying it’s a possibility. But it makes sense. The Kyuubi does have one of the highest levels of chakra. Kakashi, sooner or later, Naruto’s going to have to deal with who and what he really is. That is his fate. You should focus on Sasuke. It’s up to you to teach him how to use his Sharingan. Especially since Itachi is a member of Akatsuki. Just leave Naruto to me. I’m going to look for Tsunade. The council has chosen her to be Hokage.”
“You mean you refused.”
“Ha. Yeah, I did. I’ll take Naruto with me and train him. He’ll be under my protection.”
“Alright. Good luck.”
“You too, Kakashi.” Jiraiya straightened and looked at Kakashi. “You’ve done good, kid,” he assured him.
Kakashi nodded to him, and Jiraiya left. Kakashi remained leaning on the railing and looked up into the cloud spotted sky.
As much of a threat Naruto was under, Sasuke was under even more. Not only Orochimaru, but Itachi too. He always knew Sasuke was put on a team with Naruto because the Sharingan can control the Kyuubi. Sasuke was their insurance against the Kyuubi breaking free or taking control of Naruto. Even with his Sharingan, there was no guarantee Kakashi could stop the Kyuubi without the help of Uchiha blood. The seal had already weakened; the fox’s chakra had leaked out a few times already. Sasuke needed to be ready to face his brother if Itachi came for Naruto.
And there was Orochimaru trying to recruit him.
Perhaps Kakashi didn’t have as much time as he thought. He decided to summon Sasuke.
-----
Of course, Sasuke didn’t sleep well. When he did sleep, he was plagued with nightmares about the night his clan was slaughtered. The dreams didn’t really stop after waking.
He sat on the steps in the place where they first introduced themselves to Kakashi. He sat there staring at the terrace. He kept having visions of himself crying. “Father and mother shouldn’t have died. They died because I wasn’t strong enough. My clan was destroyed because I was weak.”
He threw a kunai at the vision of himself. He laid back and watched the clouds. He watched the clouds morph and pass over him for nearly an hour. He hadn’t really slept so he didn’t want to train today. Then a bird called and circled over him.
“Kakashi. What does he want?” He kicks me out of his bed and then summons me. But he stood and headed for the main thoroughfare to look for the man.
-----
Kakashi was planning on meeting Sasuke outside the bookstore, but the sight of two men in black robes with red clouds and straw hats caught his attention. He’d never seen a pattern like that. Travelers? It was unlikely any of the village guards would let these two in and allow them to wander as they willed. The name Akatsuki, red dawn, also drew his attention. Those red clouds . . .
He took out his copy of Icha Icha Violence and leaned against the wall next to the dango shop. He listened, but the pair drinking tea didn’t speak.
Asuma and Kurenai approached. Kakashi turned to greet them. “Hey, you two look good together.”
“Idiot,” Kurenai scolded with a blush. “What are you doing here? I thought you didn’t like sweets.”
“What are you doing here aside from catching up on your reading?” Asuma asked. He knew Kakashi didn’t normally loiter about the town reading. He was far more elusive than that.
“Maa, I’m here to buy some grave offerings,” he shifted his eyes to look at the dango shop, “I also made plans to meet someone here. I’m waiting for Sasuke.”
Kakashi heard the twitch of a ringed finger against a teacup.
Asuma and Kurenai clued into Kakashi’s suspicions and glanced to the side.
“Ha, it’s not like you to be waiting for someone else.”
One of the men set down his cup with an audible clack.
Sasuke arrived. “Kakashi, it’s not like you to show up first.”
“Well, sometimes I do.”
The whipping of wind caught Sasuke’s attention. He looked inside the dango shop at an empty table.
“Let’s eat somewhere else, I don’t have much of a sweet tooth.”
“Is that so?”
Kakashi glanced at Asuma and Kurenai. They gave a small nod and jumped away.
Kakashi’s heart was racing, but he tried to control it. He didn’t know if one of those men was Itachi but the scrape of a ring at the sound of Sasuke’s name told him it was likely. He couldn’t let Sasuke see him or even know he was in the village. He had to protect Sasuke from his brother; he wasn’t ready. He also knew Asuma and Kurenai were no match for someone like Itachi.
“Hey, something’s come up. Why don’t you practice the Chidori? Or better yet, I think you should go to your clan’s archive and learn what you can about the Sharingan. Your skill is growing and I can only train you so much.”
“Huh? Why did you call me here then?”
“Like I said, something suddenly came up.”
Sasuke looked up at him, silently saying Kakashi should take him with him to deal with whatever it was.
“Heh, you’d be bored. Just some trespassers.”
“I don’t believe you.”
Kakashi gave him his exaggerated rainbow eyed smile. “Maa, come find me later at my place. I’ll treat you to dinner and we’ll discuss what you find in the archives.”
Sasuke growled, but he nodded.
Kakashi mussed his hair in a fatherly manner. He had to catch up to the others.
-----
Sasuke had sold most of the Uchiha district. He owned very little, including the Naka Shrine. He’d consolidated artifacts and records in the rooms under the shrine.
The last time he’d come here, Sasuke hadn’t awakened the Sharingan. He decided to try using it. The stone revealed more about the Sharingan and how to evolve it. Itachi, that bastard was right.
Sasuke clinched his teeth. His fists and arms trembled with tension.
-----
Itachi kicked Kurenai onto the water and leapt in behind her. Kisame was facing off with Asuma. Kisame began waving hands signs. Judging Itachi to be the most dangerous, Kakashi sent a clone to Asuma’s side and he landed behind Itachi.
Itachi stood over Kurenai. “You live up to your reputation, however . . .”
“However, this is the end of the line,” Kakashi finished, “for you,” he added.
Kisame and Kakashi’s clone both used the Water Shark Bomb jutsu. They canceled each other out.
“Not that I’m unhappy to see you, but what are you doing here?” Asuma asked.
“Well, you know, I asked you to take care of these two, but I guess I got a little worried.”
“Hatake Kakashi,” Itachi said as he turned to look at him.
Kakashi didn’t want to go up against Itachi, but at least he had back up here.
“What business does a rogue ninja like you have in this village?” Kakashi asked at the point of his kunai.
His eyes haven’t changed. This one is a true heir of the Sharingan. I must prepare for the worst.
“Well, this is a surprise,” Kisame said. “No wonder you were able to copy my jutsu. So there really is someone besides Itachi who has that eye. You’re Kakashi, the Copy Ninja, right?”
“You can imagine my surprise when I go check out a couple of vagabonds at the tea house and I find none other than Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame, the scourge of Kiri.”
“Well, how about that, you know my name. I’m honored.”
“I assume from that sword you’re one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. That’s Samehade, right?”
“I heard you had it out with little Zabuza.”
“You heard correctly.”
Kakashi readied a kunai. Kisame raised his sword in response.
“Go ahead, I’ve love to cut you to ribbons.”
Itachi turned his head slight to look at his partner. “Kisame, stop it.”
They were all surprised to hear the smaller, younger man reprimanding the other as if Kisame were a child.
“If you take this man on, it won’t be without cost. Furthermore, it will take time and the commotion is liable to bring more shinobi running. Your way is inefficient. Don’t forget our mission; we didn’t come here to get injured.”
“What is your mission?” Kakashi asked. He let his clone dissolve.
“We’re looking for something and we know it’s here.”
“And what would that be?”
“My way is more efficient than Kisame’s.” Itachi brought out four shuriken making Kakashi leap back. He almost didn’t notice in time that it was a feint. He summoned a water wall to protect himself. His real body dropped into the water while he left a clone standing on the surface.
“You’re good” Itachi said. “The power of your analytical eye is great.”
Itachi was suddenly behind Kakashi’s clone, stabbing him in the spine. The clone melted and Kakashi approached Itachi from under the water. But then he realized that the closer Itachi was a clone. He leapt from the water to grab Kurenai and shield her from an explosion.
“Get down! This one is the shadow clone!”
The blast hit his back but did little damage; they were just far enough away and the water that was kicked up lessened the heat. Asuma joined them on the water.
“Kakashi?” Kurenai asked, seeing him sway.
“Never lower your guard around him. He was made an ANBU captain at the age of thirteen.”
“He’s tough, we get it,” Asuma said.
“Tough? You haven’t seen half of what he can do.”
“For someone who is not of the Uchiha clan, you have mastered the Sharingan well. However, not being one of us, you lack our stamina in using it. That’s something you can’t copy.”
He’s right, the Sharingan exhausts me faster than it does him.
“Why is it the Uchiha clan is known by all and feared by all? I’ll show you what the Sharingan can do when it’s wielded by a true heir of the bloodline.”
“Close your eyes! Don’t look at his eyes!”
Kurenai and Asuma shut their eyes and Kakashi closed his natural eye.
“Listen, both of you, whatever happens, don’t look. You meet his gaze and you’re finished. I’m going to have to do this alone. My Sharingan against his.”
“Indeed, your abilities are impressive, they may even be enough to resist the Mangekyo Sharingan. However, there is something they can’t defend against. Tsukuyomi, the Nightmare Realm. It is unbreakable. Unless you have the Sharingan and the Kekkei Genkai.”
Sasuke.
The world warped; the sky was red with black clouds. The rest of the world was in black and white. He was crucified in front of Itachi who held a sword.
“I wonder how much someone without the Kekkei Genkai can take,” Itachi mused.
Itachi stabbed him. He felt it as if it was really happening to his real body. Excruciating pain. And then the wound was gone. Another Itachi. Another stab.
“In the Tsukuyomi, time and space, even physical mass, I control them all.”
Again and again he was stabbed.
“The next seventy-two hours will be nothing but this. Over and over.”
Kakashi was panting, he could barely keep his eyes open. Suddenly, he was surrounded by dozens of Itachis.
“Tsukuyomi, time and space, even physical mass, I control them all.”
Keep calm, it’s only genjutsu.
“Telling yourself it’s just an illusion will do you little good. Pain is not an illusion. Do you feel it less deeply thinking it’s not real? How long will it be, I wonder, before your spirit is broken?”
“Only seventy-one hours, fifty-nine minutes, and fifty-nine second to go.”
Wha—Only a single second has passed?! That second had felt like an hour. Unending, catastrophic pain. The sun, that had become the moon, never moved, but the black clouds flew overhead faster than eagles.
He was stabbed again and again and again and again . . .
. . .
Kakashi collapsed on the water under a blue sky. He had nothing left after sustaining such torture. He’d never experienced anything like that before.
“Kakashi, what is it? Can we open our eyes now?” Kurenai demanded.
“No, not yet.” He could barely talk. He could barely keep himself from sinking into the water.
“What just happened?” Asuma demanded. “One second the guy’s talking and the next you hit the ground.”
Three days in that world and less than a moment passed in this one. Why not just kill me? If he wanted to, he could.
Kisame joined his partner.
“Hm, after all that, the fool’s spirit is still intact. Meanwhile, you’ve risked overusing those eyes of yours. You know that dangerous.”
Indeed, Itachi’s eyes were twitching with pain.
“This thing you’ve come for, is it Sasuke?” Kakashi asked, painting.
The twitching ceased. “No, the legacy of the Forth Hokage.”
“The Kyuubi inside of Naruto. That’s what you’re after? You’re not the only ones, are you? There are seven more of you out there, searching, hunting. You call yourself the Akatsuki, right?”
“Kisame, we’ll take Kakashi with us, but we don’t need the others. Get rid of them.”
Kisame didn’t hesitate to charge. But Gai charged in and kicked Kisame away. Kakashi was relieved.
“Well, who do we have here?” Kisame asked.
“Konoha’s noble blue beast. Might Gai.”
“Shouldn’t you be called a strange beast?”
“Don’t underestimate him,” Itachi cautioned.
Kakashi couldn’t hold on anymore. If anyone could stave off these two, it was Gai. Gai knew how to fight a Sharingan from his sparing with Kakashi and Itachi was weakened. No one could beat Gai in terms of strength. He felt strangely safe. Relief sapped what was left of his strength. He fainted and sank into the water.
-----
Sasuke went to the training grounds to take out his frustrations. He practiced the Chidori.
I wasn’t able to do anything. I don’t ever want to have to see that again. Watching my comrades falling right in front of me. He unleashed a second Chidori.
All he could think of was Naruto’s fight with Gaara. How much do I need to grow? Naruto has a tremendous power. I’m inferior. He never used that power at the academy. I can’t believe he has that kind of talent. Where was he hiding it? I actually felt fear. Like a maelstrom of power. What kind of body does he have? How can I grow that kind of power? Naruto just gets stronger and stronger. Compared to him I’m standing still.
Sasuke was angry. He funneled it into a third Chidori. This one was more powerful than the previous two.
He tried to make a fourth Chidori, but he didn’t force it. He’d learned his lesson. He trained in other ways for another hour then headed for Kakashi’s apartment. The man should be done with those trespassers by now. He didn’t even knock, and the door wasn’t locked. “Kakashi—”
Kakashi was unconscious in his bed and there were three jounin loitering around.
“Why is Kakashi asleep? And why is this room full of jounin? What are you doing? What hell is going on here?!”
Kakashi didn’t even stir at his raised voice.
“Um, not . . . much . . . really,” Gai answered.
Another man ran through the door. “Hey, is it true Itachi has returned?! And he’s come here to get Naruto?”
Sasuke could only hear a buzzing in his ears as he turned to look at the man. The furious chakra flowed out of him with enough force to make his hair flutter.
“Idiot,” Kurenai sighed.
Sasuke ran out the door, not paying any heed to the jounin behind him. He had to find Naruto.
So, he’s come back to the village, huh? And he’s after Naruto. What does this mean?
He went Naruto’s apartment. He yanked the door open to find Sakura coming out. He didn’t give that a thought.
“Hey, Sas—” Sakura started to say.
“Where’s Naruto?”
“Well, I don’t know, I just got here myself—” He ran away and stopped hearing her.
If Naruto gets caught, he’s dead. I won’t let that happen!
He went to the one place one was most likely to find him: the ramen stand.
“Hey, old man, Naruto usually comes here for lunch. After that, do you know where he went?”
“Oh, sure. Jiraiya-san came and ate ramen with him. He said they were going off somewhere. I think he mentioned the outpost station some distance to the west.”
“Jiraiya?”
“Yeah, one of the three legendary Sanin. He’ll be easy to find, he’s a big guy with white hair.”
Sasuke bolted with cry following him, but he didn’t listen. That town wasn’t far. Sasuke used the speed Kakashi had drilled into him before the third exam to make it to the next town within an hour. He landed on gates.
“Shit! There are a lot of buildings. I can’t go through them all one by one.” But he had little choice. He ran into the first hotel.
“Is there a blond, stupid-faced kid my age and a large, white-haired old man staying here?” he demanded of the person behind the counter.
“No, no one like that here.”
The next inn. “Is there a dopy looking blond kid here? He’s traveling with an old man with white hair.”
“This is a female only inn.”
He ran back outside. The next one. “Is there a goofy looking blond kid staying here with a big, white-haired old man?”
“We only have older guests here today.”
The next one.
“Do you have a dumb-looking blond guy my age staying here with a big old guy with white hair?”
“Mmm. I think I know who you’re looking for.”
“What room number?!”
“Room number one on the second floor at the end of the hall.”
Sasuke took off before she finished speaking.
He found the room and knocked. As soon as the latch opened, he grabbed the door and forced it open. It . . . Wasn’t Naruto.
Sasuke felt his stomach sink. He turned and ran back out. He was running out of time.
As much as he wanted to protect Naruto, he couldn’t stop thinking about the fact he was finally going to confront his brother. He remembered the day it happened. Itachi ignoring him as usual, poking him in the forehead to dismiss him. Talking to his parents, the last time he would hear their voices. He ran off to train. When he returned to the Uchiha District, he got a sinister feeling. Then he saw the bodies. He ran home calling out for his parents. A voice, he couldn’t quite remember who’s, called back not to come in. He had to force himself to disobey. Not because he wanted to obey, but because he was frightened. Paralyzed by fear. He opened the door.
His parents were lying dead on the floor at the foot of their murderer.
Itachi.
Sasuke had panicked and screamed at him, demanding to know why he would do such of thing. Not just their parents but everyone. Then Itachi trapped him in a genjutsu, showing him every death. Again and again.
Sasuke would not allow that man to take anyone else away from him!
He finally found the right hotel; he ran up the stairs to see two men standing between him and Naruto. One had a large, wrapped sword on his back, they were both dressed in black robes with red clouds. He stopped.
“It’s been a long time, Sasuke,” smaller man said in a chillingly familiar, but cold voice.
“Uchiha Itachi.”
Naruto let out a startled squeak.
“Well, well, this is a special day,” the man with the sword said. “The second time in one day I’ve seen another Sharingan.”
That gave Sasuke a chill. They had attacked Kakashi.
They had attacked Kakashi. They were threatening Naruto. Hatred and fury welled up inside him. “I will KILL YOU!”
“Ooooo. He looks a lot like you. Just who is this guy, Itachi?”
“He’s my younger brother.”
“Oh? That’s strange. From the way I heard it, the entire Uchiha Clan was wiped out. By you.”
Itachi finally turned to look at him. Those were not the eyes of the brother he loved. Those were the eyes of the man who murdered his entire family. Sasuke thought about how he’d tried to attack Itachi back then but was easily put down. He fell, looking right into the face of his father. He felt true fear in that moment. Never had his life been in peril like this before. And it was from his own brother. He was ashamed of it now, but he ran away. He had screamed that he didn’t want to die. He begged Itachi not to kill him as he ran.
“You aren’t even worth killing, foolish little brother.”
A kunai in the heart would have hurt less.
“If you wish to kill me one day, foster your hatred, hate me. Despise me. Survive in a miserable manner. Flee, flee and hang onto your wretched life.”
“I’ve lived hating you,” Sasuke declared. “I have lived only to kill you.” He activated the Chidori. “I have lived for THIS!”
“Chidori,” Itachi muttered.
Sasuke cried out as he ran at Itachi, using the speed and power Kakashi had granted him.
Itachi’s hand flew out and grabbed his wrist, deflecting the Chidori into the wall, blowing it to pieces. It died away.
Sasuke barely noticed Naruto summoning his chakra. Sasuke prepared an attack, but Itachi’s grip tightened. “Enough. You’re in the way.” Itachi broke his wrist. Sasuke felt to the ground in agony. This was also the fourth time today he used the Chidori. He’d made a fourth Chidori, but his chakra was nearly spent.
Kisame was about to attack Naruto. Sasuke couldn’t get up in time. But then an armored frog appeared to block the wrapped sword.
An old man appeared, blustering. Sasuke felt little relief. Naruto was safe, but Itachi was still standing.
Naruto and the old man argued like children and Kisame laughed at the absurdity. Itachi just stood there.
Kakashi’s name brought Sasuke back to his senses from the pain. “That explains how Kakashi knew. He learned it from you. You’re right, Naruto is the prize the Akatsuki is after. And we will have him.”
“You won’t get Naruto,” Jiraiya said.
“And why not?” Itachi asked.
“Because, right now, here, you two will die by my hand.”
“Stay out of this,” Sasuke demanded as he stood. “The only one who’s going to eliminate him is me.”
“Go away,” Itachi said, his voice as cold and detached as ever. “I have absolutely no interest in you at the moment.”
Sasuke charged, not even really knowing what he was going to do, just moving in instinctive rage. Itachi easily kicked him back.
Naruto called out and readied to attack.
“No, Naruto, don’t! I told you! This fight is mine!”
“So be it.”
Itachi walked up to him. Sasuke surged up only to be kneed in the stomach, elbowed in the neck, kneed in the chest, and punched in the gut. He let out a cough of blood before he fell.
All these years. Nothing has changed. How can this be? What have I been doing all these years? Was it all for this? He couldn’t move. He was barely conscious.
Itachi grabbed him by the collar and pressed him against the wall, gripping his throat. “You’re still too weak,” Itachi said. “You don’t have enough hate. And you know something?” He leaned in and whispered. “You never will.”
He looked into Itachi’s eyes and the world went black. He was home, but the world was in stark black and white. He watched as Itachi killed his parents. The sky out the window was crimson. He was forced to watch Itachi kill them and everything one else again and again.
“You will relive that night for the next twenty-four hours.”
Sasuke felt himself scream. He suffered through the torture for a full day. And then. Blackness.
- 7
- 8
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