Dirty Harry (1/3)
I have so much to catch up on. Really have been MIA lately. Been doing a lot of writing, including that much more of not finishing said writing, but between moving halfway across the country (lack of good internet connection kills) and life in general, I don't know how I want to feel right now.
Right.
So, anyway, it was in the dark of the night when the idea for this cropped up, the sort of sequel (since I "don't" do sequels) to As Close as Hands and Feet, that continued to grow into some monstrous foul beast my fingers couldn't slay fast enough, and then I was all like, have at thee, menacing fiend, back I say, be gone with--nooooooooo, because in the end this random space au kicked my butt. Although I really kind of like the half-baked sci-fi theme (no comment about that other dystopia Neo Edo steampunk fic still collecting dust). So much so, it actually started to get serious, yet still crack(ish), then backstory started to slip in. But there’s a lot of Itachi/Naruto interaction in the first part, so that makes everything better. Those two are so weird here (or any time I write them, really), but I think it works? Maybe.
And yes, there are two-unintentional yet still there-Jurassic Park references. Yep. And don’t I feel all the more speshul for it.
I'll put the next part up later. May end up changing things again. Probably missed some stuff, too.
***
Characters: Naruto/Sasuke, Itachi, Juugo
Rating: PG-15
Words: 15,222
Summary: After making an emergency landing on an unknown planet, Naruto and Itachi find themselves on one side of the storm, while Sasuke meets a peculiar stranger on the other.
“There’s no life out here. This whole planet’s empty. A wasteland.” Naruto scoffs, throwing a small rock against the wall. It barely does enough to make a scratch. “We crash-landed in a dump.”
“We’re in a cave in the middle of the desert.”
“No fucking kidding.”
“Hm.”
“...hey, Itachi.”
“Yes?”
“Thanks for back there. You know. Saving me and all. I really thought I’d-”
“You know you don’t have to thank me for that. For now, you’re safe. That’s what’s important.”
“And what about Sasuke? He’s still out there somewhere, not with us because of me, but I’m the one who was supposed to look after him. I’m the one who’s supposed to-”
Naruto sniffs, wiping at one eye with the back of his hand, cursing at the specks of sand caught between his fingers that make his vision blurry.
“Wasting his energy over something so small when he knows I can take care of myself. I didn’t need-” Gritting his teeth, he snarls, pointedly looking away from his forearm that had been a mangled and bloodied mess not but a few hours before. “The nerve of that stupid asshole. He knows I heal fast. I could’ve taken out that overgrown scorpion on my own. He didn’t have to-”
“The dunemite’s stinger went straight through your arm. After your body began to convulse, you lost consciousness because you’d lost too much blood. You were trapped in the ship. By the time I was able to reach you, the venom would have killed you if the blood loss didn’t. Even with your enhanced healing, there was very little chance you would have survived had Sasuke not used his magic.”
Lips drawn in a tight line, Naruto doesn’t answer, head turned away from Itachi’s hard stare, eyes trained on the ridiculously tiny fire dividing the two of them.
“He placed his life in danger to save yours. The least you can do is respect his decision.”
Naruto bites back the urge to say any more about it, ignoring the quiet reprimand in Itachi’s tone, because while his best friend is missing out there, so is Itachi’s brother, and the fact that Sasuke isn’t with them is taking a toll on Itachi, too, even if Itachi doesn’t necessarily show it.
But it’s not that he doesn’t respect Sasuke’s decision. He gets how seriously injured he was, the fact that he wouldn’t have made it if Sasuke hadn’t passed on his own life force into him to keep him alive. Doesn’t mean he has to like it, though. “Who were those guys chasing after us, anyway?”
“I’m afraid I can’t say. Though they flew unmarked, I wouldn’t immediately dismiss any possible association with the Federation. With the tension already between us, our relationship has become very tenuous at best. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone finally did decide to act on their vendetta against the Alliance.”
Crossing his legs with a grunt, Naruto looks to Itachi, eyebrows scrunched in thought. “Trail leading back to Orochimaru, you think?”
“I can’t be sure. Not unless we find the remains of the other ship, but Orochimaru’s intentions behind the proposed treaties have been questionable.”
“Yeah, right. All the political visitations he’s suddenly been making lately, that’s putting it nicely. Saying you could bear with him for the sake of negotiations that keep falling through is just pussyfooting around the huge pink elephant in the room. Or cave, I guess. In this case.” Grim features pulled taut, Naruto grips his knee resting beneath his palm, voice darkening. “...I don’t like him, Itachi.”
“The feeling’s mutual.”
“I mean, what Sasuke can do, that’s not so much of a secret anymore. But that guy’s too obvious interest in Sasuke, the way he looks at Sasuke sometimes, like he’s just itching to slowly take him apart piece by piece to see what makes him tick, I hate that about him.
“Every time me and Sasuke are forced to go to those so-called peace talks, I can’t stand it. I hate the fact I can’t do anything about it. No matter how much just being in the same room as him gives me the chills. Even Sakura’s creeped out by that snake. And Sakura’s not creeped out by anything. Hell, she’s one of the few people who actually has the balls to stand up to you.”
“Lieutenant Haruno,” Itachi automatically corrects, emphasising the importance of acknowledging rank Naruto seems to immediately disregard whenever it comes to the people he’s close to, his elders especially, Itachi not excluded. “Orochimaru’s too closely linked with the Federation to risk losing his standing in the political melee. Not while he’s still struggling to regain the favour he’s lost after the disaster with Tollan. No, he’s too self-seeking to push his agenda publicly. I’m more worried about Danzou.”
“Danzou? That way too old captain who everybody says should’ve kicked the bucket years ago? He’s against the Federation. What about him’s got you so worked up?”
“There’s been too much movement within the Alliance lately. Too many changing of hands, too much passing off on responsibility to new blood suddenly qualified to retain high positions. Until three days ago, Danzou was on the verge of retirement. Since then, there’s been an impromptu shift of power the moment he announced his bid for sovereign.”
“But we don’t have one.” Naruto frowns. “Military wise, the way our government works, as far as leaders go, maybe my dad’s probably the closest thing we’ll ever get to having an actual sovereign, which really isn’t saying much, but the Sectors in the Alliance are independent. That’s what makes us so different from the Federation. We’re a democracy. We don’t have one ruler.”
“Not yet.”
Naruto shivers at the almost certainty in those two words. “...are things really that bad?”
“Danzou’s managed to gather a large influx of supporters. The situation isn’t so dire at this point, but his reach continues to extend far. It won’t be much longer until he’s in a position to tip the scales.”
“But everybody knows that guy’s a complete nut job. He wants to take over the Federation, Itachi. Preaching all that nonsense about how the people on the Other Side are lower than us, he wants a full-on war.”
“As do a growing number of vigilantes in the Alliance tired of futile peace negotiations. I hadn’t intended to involve you and Sasuke in any of this so soon, but it seems I’ve been left with no choice.”
Running a hand through his hair, Itachi gives a bleak sort of half smile, a crack in his normally composed expression that used to make Naruto and Sasuke believe Itachi would always be invincible. The light from the fire makes him look painfully weary, though, the dark lines beneath his eyes suddenly more prominent in the stillness of the cave. “I only wish I hadn’t failed to prepare you two better.”
Naruto sighs, letting his shoulders sag a little. “Well, I can’t say being shot down by space pirates was something I expected to look forward to this morning, but being stuck here with you, worse things have happened.”
Posture straight, the poor attempt at a smile falls from Itachi’s face, and suddenly, the indifferent mask is back. “While I doubt they were meant to put either you or Sasuke in harm’s way, disposing of me is a different matter entirely, but I don’t trust the convenience of the attack. Particularly what Danzou has to gain from my disappearance and the risk of him exploiting my absence for his own propaganda. I don’t trust him.”
“You’re a paranoid guy. You don’t trust anybody.”
“I trust you.”
Naruto fumbles for something to say, nearly bowled over by the significance of such a seemingly simple admission Itachi didn’t hesitate to make. “Itachi, I...”
“Whatever my initial reservations concerning your relationship with Sasuke, my misgivings about Danzou’s ambitions are far greater. It seems he’s taken a liking to you.”
“Me? Why would he-” Eyes slightly wide, Naruto leans forward, chewing at the corner of his lip, tentative gaze never leaving Itachi’s. “Does he know about-”
“No. He’s been curious, though. Filling a decent amount of retrieval requests for your records. Because he’s doing it through the official channels, it’s nothing presumably suspicious, yet there’s little basis I can discern for his sudden interest in you.”
“I know I used to get in trouble a lot for pranking people and stuff, but I can’t have that much of a record. I just got accepted into the Academy last year.”
“Being Namikaze Minato’s son, you shouldn’t be surprised by how many people follow your progress. As well, despite your age, you can’t discount your extensive flying experience prior to the Academy. Apart from the more abstract concepts you still need to learn, as far as your tactical skills and aptitude for piloting are concerned, you have the potential to be the top rookie in your class.”
Naruto scoffs. “Only because Sasuke’s not in the Academy with me. We really could’ve been amazing together out there, you know. Something real special up there in the stars. Give everybody else who pretends they know how to fly a real run for their money.”
Again, he scoffs, fingers toying with the squared guard of the sword Sasuke left behind lying on the ground beside him, the curved, single-edged blade still stained with the blood from the dunemite Sasuke killed. “But my sheer awesomeness aside, if Danzou is interested, the fact that I’m almost as good of a fighter pilot as my dad can’t be the only reason he’s after me.”
“No, but your father and mother have pulled many strings to ensure few people know about you as possible. Our family, as well. We’ve all done our best for both your sake and Sasuke’s. Sasuke’s abilities we couldn’t keep hidden, but the burden you’ve endured yourself to carry...”
“Not to mention Sasuke’s connection to it. If anyone outside our families knew that he could manipulate-”
“That,” Itachi says, frighteningly calm, near ominous, “I won’t allow to happen.”
Letting go of Sasuke’s sword, hands fallen in his lap clasped together then pulled apart, Naruto gives a slow nod, reassured by the quiet intensity in Itachi’s voice, because he doesn’t want to question an assurance they both know Itachi wouldn’t be able to keep forever, because it’s easier to pretend he and Sasuke are five again, and being told they were special just meant they were lucky enough to have someone as cool as Itachi looking out for them.
Not because Sasuke had the rarest form of magic imaginable and Naruto had a powerful ancient demon that fought in the First Great War sealed inside of him.
Fingers curled into his palms, he presses his thumbs against throbbing knuckles. “I can fight with my fists, but Sasuke doesn’t even have his sword. Being out there alone, with no way to make contact, when we’re stranded in uncharted territory in a desert that spans for who knows how long, and he-”
“Can be incredibly resourceful. You know this.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know that. I know he can handle himself. He’s handed me my ass more times than I can count just to make sure I don’t forget, but it’s just-why aren’t you blaming me? I thought for sure you’d be mad at me. If my foot hadn’t got stuck under the seat, if Sasuke hadn’t tried to save me...”
“Being separated, yes, the circumstances are far from agreeable. The consequences of Sasuke’s actions...rather than himself, he chose to protect you. He’s always been reckless, too negligent with his wellbeing for anyone’s sanity, much less my own, but he wanted to protect you, Naruto. I won’t-I can’t fault you for that.
“If anything, I fault myself for allowing you to be in this situation at all. I couldn’t bear to lose either of you.”
Blinking away the slight sting behind his eyes, with a hollow laugh, Naruto looks up, tracing the shadows from the flames dancing along the ceiling of the cave. “Heh. So I get to be Naruto again, huh?”
“Like Sasuke says, you’ll always be Naruto.”
Lowering his gaze, Naruto gives Itachi a cheeky grin. “What about Sasuke’s boyfriend? Can I always be that, too?”
Itachi lets out a soft snort. “Don’t push your luck, Uzumaki.”
“And now it’s back to Uzumaki.” Still grinning, Naruto pulls at a loose thread from his pants, unravelling the stitching near the outside of his knee. “...for such a sudden show of acceptance, you do remember you almost killed me last month, right. Almost took my head clean off, among other things, so...yeah. Just to throw that out there. Because you like to opportunely forget things at certain times.”
“Discovering my little brother has been having an illicit affair with a sordid pilot eight months his senior, my reaction couldn’t be helped.”
Naruto nearly chokes on a squeak. “First off, there is nothing sordid about me. And we don’t have an illicit relationship. We’re both sixteen. Or well, okay, yeah, I’ll been seventeen in a couple more weeks, but it’s perfectly leg-”
“However, I will say this.”
“...yeah?”
“Make one false move, Uzumaki, and I won’t hesitate to give Sasuke the opportunity to never speak to me again.”
“Somehow, that, um, with the way you’re not really smiling at me right now, that sort of sounds like some kind of thinly veiled threat.”
“It is.”
“There’re horror stories about you floating around the base, you know. Sakura’s told me some, about the trainees under your command when you were Chief. She said the time she spent with you being her mentor was straight up pure hell. Even someone like Kakashi knows better than to mess with you.”
“You’ve committed yourself to being the exception to the rule evidently.”
“Well, yeah, but that doesn’t really count with us.” Sitting up a little from his place leaned against the wall, Naruto scratches the back of his head, grimacing as his fingers stop at the knotted strands of hair clumped together by traces of dried blood. “I’ve been around you like forever. My entire life. So I know if you dig down inside you, somewhere really, really deep down there, like way down in there beyond all the Admiral Uchiha stuff, you’re pretty much a big softie.”
A dark eyebrow is raised. “I wouldn’t consider myself a pushover.”
“Maybe not a complete softie but something close enough to being that. The same way Sasuke contradicts himself more than half the time, when he does the things he says he’s not going to do but still ends up doing anyway, because there’s some kind of biological tick that prevents him from being able to express his feelings like normal people.”
“I can’t account for Sasuke’s personality, but regarding your belief that I’m a supposed softie, you haven’t had the pleasure of being one of my trainees.”
“Which I am very grateful for.” Gingerly, with a slight wince, Naruto uncrosses both legs, not able to fully extend them because the cave is just that small but still able to get in something close to a stretch. “Extremely grateful for, since that same pleasure will now never have a chance to be had.”
“Admittedly, on occasion, I have been told my disciplinary methods can be rather...inspired.”
“Yeah, and that insane simulation program mandatory to pass to basic flight training, when Sasuke told me you’re the one who coded that, it’s no wonder why the graduating class is always so small. Most people have to repeat that whole course year at least twice.”
“You passed it on the first attempt.”
“Hell yeah, I did. And it was crazy hard, too. Almost impossible.” Naruto’s grin grows wider at the slight twitch almost bringing a genuine smile to Itachi’s lips. “But two years back, Sasuke coded a mock version of Tsukuyomi, and we used to sneak in the training deck and upload his programme to see who could get the best time. He’s still ahead of me by five seconds, but I already told him I was going beat him one day. If only it wasn’t for that stupid law that keeps him from signing up for the Academy.”
“It’s for his own protection, as well as for the people around him.”
“Yeah, I get that, accidentally Influencing people, not being able to fully control that part of his magic yet, especially since it can go haywire sometimes, but just because he happens to be who he is, doesn’t mean it’s fair to keep him from doing something he’s really good at.”
Itachi makes a low noise, a not quite hum that could be taken to mean either agreement or indifference. “I suppose your relationship hasn’t changed that much.”
“I don’t think it has. Or at least it doesn’t feel like it’s changed a lot. Except for the seriously incredible mind-blowing se-I mean, uh, yeah,” Naruto stammers, cutting himself off at Itachi’s sharp expression that instantly reminds him it’s Itachi he’s talking to. Itachi, not someone like Kiba or Shikamaru or any other of his friends from the Academy, because even though they’re really close, Itachi is still Sasuke’s older brother, and there are just some things that aren’t supposed to be done with Itachi.
One of them is going around talking about his and Sasuke’s sex life.
Or recently lack thereof, he should say, ever since Itachi caught him sneaking through the window into Sasuke’s room carrying a full bag of condoms, which led to Itachi trying to kill him, which then led to that highly embarrassing involuntary confession about the first time he and Sasuke almost had sex and Sasuke accidentally nearly bled his life force dry but just as soon brought him back to life and on the brink of what could’ve been one of the most amazing orgasms ever by way of the life force Sasuke transferred to him through a kiss-he’s still going to call it sex magic, no matter how many times Sasuke says it isn’t.
“Not at all. Things between us are the same they’ve always been. I still call him a bastard. He still calls me an idiot. I guess dating’s gotten us a little closer, now that we have that kind of relationship, but we’re still just Naruto and Sasuke, you know.”
“In the near future, that same relationship may well be composed solely of Sasuke and his memory of you.”
“You’d seriously risk Sasuke never speaking to you ever again just to get rid of me?”
“If it entails Sasuke coping with you being on the receiving end of an unfortunate accident coinciding with the explosion of your ship in midflight brought down by friendly fire unwittingly obscured beneath the pretext of enemy fire, I’m confident he has the capacity to get over it.”
Although he already knows Itachi has a very dark, almost wicked sense of humour, that a large part of him definitely knows Itachi would never really orchestrate that whole too highly well thought out scenario just to keep him from being with Sasuke, never mind Itachi’s peaceful expression and utterly calm delivery when he says these types of things, Naruto still can’t help it when his eyes bulge just a little. “...that isn’t the most comforting thing to say to the person you practically helped raise and are still extremely close to.”
“It’s not supposed to be.”
Shoulders starting to shake, Naruto tries and fails to keep in a snort, letting loose the heavy laughter bubbling within his chest, eyes bright, tinged with a smidgen of hysteria it takes too much effort to hold back, because all he can think about right now is how much Sasuke takes after his unapologetic brother, how much Sasuke acts just like Itachi, and damn it if he wouldn’t give anything to know that Sasuke’s okay.
Eventually, the laughter subsides, though, the brief note of not so happy calm broken by another overwrought silence despite Itachi’s second attempt at a smile too worn-out that only manages to make him look even more tired than Naruto already feels.
“It feels like we’ve been sitting in this cave since the beginning of time. My back hurts. My legs are too numb to move anymore. I think I’m forgetting how to use my arms. Every second I spend cooped up in here is another second I could be using to look for Sasuke out there, and I just feel so useless not being able to-”
“Get some rest, Naruto. We’ll find Sasuke tomorrow. The temperature’s dropped too low to go searching tonight, and you’re in no condition to do anything other than sleep.”
“I know, but...” Naruto trails off with a heavy sigh, biting his lip to rein in the angry frustration Itachi doesn’t deserve to be an outlet for. It’s useless to argue with him, anyway.
“It’ll be fine. I’ll be here when you wake up.”
Uncomfortable, reluctantly, Naruto tries to settle against the hard wall with too many jagged edges digging into this back. He closes his eyes, gradually lulled to sleep by the intermittent crackling of the fire already starting to die down.
Continued
Right.
So, anyway, it was in the dark of the night when the idea for this cropped up, the sort of sequel (since I "don't" do sequels) to As Close as Hands and Feet, that continued to grow into some monstrous foul beast my fingers couldn't slay fast enough, and then I was all like, have at thee, menacing fiend, back I say, be gone with--nooooooooo, because in the end this random space au kicked my butt. Although I really kind of like the half-baked sci-fi theme (no comment about that other dystopia Neo Edo steampunk fic still collecting dust). So much so, it actually started to get serious, yet still crack(ish), then backstory started to slip in. But there’s a lot of Itachi/Naruto interaction in the first part, so that makes everything better. Those two are so weird here (or any time I write them, really), but I think it works? Maybe.
And yes, there are two-unintentional yet still there-Jurassic Park references. Yep. And don’t I feel all the more speshul for it.
I'll put the next part up later. May end up changing things again. Probably missed some stuff, too.
***
Characters: Naruto/Sasuke, Itachi, Juugo
Rating: PG-15
Words: 15,222
Summary: After making an emergency landing on an unknown planet, Naruto and Itachi find themselves on one side of the storm, while Sasuke meets a peculiar stranger on the other.
“There’s no life out here. This whole planet’s empty. A wasteland.” Naruto scoffs, throwing a small rock against the wall. It barely does enough to make a scratch. “We crash-landed in a dump.”
“We’re in a cave in the middle of the desert.”
“No fucking kidding.”
“Hm.”
“...hey, Itachi.”
“Yes?”
“Thanks for back there. You know. Saving me and all. I really thought I’d-”
“You know you don’t have to thank me for that. For now, you’re safe. That’s what’s important.”
“And what about Sasuke? He’s still out there somewhere, not with us because of me, but I’m the one who was supposed to look after him. I’m the one who’s supposed to-”
Naruto sniffs, wiping at one eye with the back of his hand, cursing at the specks of sand caught between his fingers that make his vision blurry.
“Wasting his energy over something so small when he knows I can take care of myself. I didn’t need-” Gritting his teeth, he snarls, pointedly looking away from his forearm that had been a mangled and bloodied mess not but a few hours before. “The nerve of that stupid asshole. He knows I heal fast. I could’ve taken out that overgrown scorpion on my own. He didn’t have to-”
“The dunemite’s stinger went straight through your arm. After your body began to convulse, you lost consciousness because you’d lost too much blood. You were trapped in the ship. By the time I was able to reach you, the venom would have killed you if the blood loss didn’t. Even with your enhanced healing, there was very little chance you would have survived had Sasuke not used his magic.”
Lips drawn in a tight line, Naruto doesn’t answer, head turned away from Itachi’s hard stare, eyes trained on the ridiculously tiny fire dividing the two of them.
“He placed his life in danger to save yours. The least you can do is respect his decision.”
Naruto bites back the urge to say any more about it, ignoring the quiet reprimand in Itachi’s tone, because while his best friend is missing out there, so is Itachi’s brother, and the fact that Sasuke isn’t with them is taking a toll on Itachi, too, even if Itachi doesn’t necessarily show it.
But it’s not that he doesn’t respect Sasuke’s decision. He gets how seriously injured he was, the fact that he wouldn’t have made it if Sasuke hadn’t passed on his own life force into him to keep him alive. Doesn’t mean he has to like it, though. “Who were those guys chasing after us, anyway?”
“I’m afraid I can’t say. Though they flew unmarked, I wouldn’t immediately dismiss any possible association with the Federation. With the tension already between us, our relationship has become very tenuous at best. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone finally did decide to act on their vendetta against the Alliance.”
Crossing his legs with a grunt, Naruto looks to Itachi, eyebrows scrunched in thought. “Trail leading back to Orochimaru, you think?”
“I can’t be sure. Not unless we find the remains of the other ship, but Orochimaru’s intentions behind the proposed treaties have been questionable.”
“Yeah, right. All the political visitations he’s suddenly been making lately, that’s putting it nicely. Saying you could bear with him for the sake of negotiations that keep falling through is just pussyfooting around the huge pink elephant in the room. Or cave, I guess. In this case.” Grim features pulled taut, Naruto grips his knee resting beneath his palm, voice darkening. “...I don’t like him, Itachi.”
“The feeling’s mutual.”
“I mean, what Sasuke can do, that’s not so much of a secret anymore. But that guy’s too obvious interest in Sasuke, the way he looks at Sasuke sometimes, like he’s just itching to slowly take him apart piece by piece to see what makes him tick, I hate that about him.
“Every time me and Sasuke are forced to go to those so-called peace talks, I can’t stand it. I hate the fact I can’t do anything about it. No matter how much just being in the same room as him gives me the chills. Even Sakura’s creeped out by that snake. And Sakura’s not creeped out by anything. Hell, she’s one of the few people who actually has the balls to stand up to you.”
“Lieutenant Haruno,” Itachi automatically corrects, emphasising the importance of acknowledging rank Naruto seems to immediately disregard whenever it comes to the people he’s close to, his elders especially, Itachi not excluded. “Orochimaru’s too closely linked with the Federation to risk losing his standing in the political melee. Not while he’s still struggling to regain the favour he’s lost after the disaster with Tollan. No, he’s too self-seeking to push his agenda publicly. I’m more worried about Danzou.”
“Danzou? That way too old captain who everybody says should’ve kicked the bucket years ago? He’s against the Federation. What about him’s got you so worked up?”
“There’s been too much movement within the Alliance lately. Too many changing of hands, too much passing off on responsibility to new blood suddenly qualified to retain high positions. Until three days ago, Danzou was on the verge of retirement. Since then, there’s been an impromptu shift of power the moment he announced his bid for sovereign.”
“But we don’t have one.” Naruto frowns. “Military wise, the way our government works, as far as leaders go, maybe my dad’s probably the closest thing we’ll ever get to having an actual sovereign, which really isn’t saying much, but the Sectors in the Alliance are independent. That’s what makes us so different from the Federation. We’re a democracy. We don’t have one ruler.”
“Not yet.”
Naruto shivers at the almost certainty in those two words. “...are things really that bad?”
“Danzou’s managed to gather a large influx of supporters. The situation isn’t so dire at this point, but his reach continues to extend far. It won’t be much longer until he’s in a position to tip the scales.”
“But everybody knows that guy’s a complete nut job. He wants to take over the Federation, Itachi. Preaching all that nonsense about how the people on the Other Side are lower than us, he wants a full-on war.”
“As do a growing number of vigilantes in the Alliance tired of futile peace negotiations. I hadn’t intended to involve you and Sasuke in any of this so soon, but it seems I’ve been left with no choice.”
Running a hand through his hair, Itachi gives a bleak sort of half smile, a crack in his normally composed expression that used to make Naruto and Sasuke believe Itachi would always be invincible. The light from the fire makes him look painfully weary, though, the dark lines beneath his eyes suddenly more prominent in the stillness of the cave. “I only wish I hadn’t failed to prepare you two better.”
Naruto sighs, letting his shoulders sag a little. “Well, I can’t say being shot down by space pirates was something I expected to look forward to this morning, but being stuck here with you, worse things have happened.”
Posture straight, the poor attempt at a smile falls from Itachi’s face, and suddenly, the indifferent mask is back. “While I doubt they were meant to put either you or Sasuke in harm’s way, disposing of me is a different matter entirely, but I don’t trust the convenience of the attack. Particularly what Danzou has to gain from my disappearance and the risk of him exploiting my absence for his own propaganda. I don’t trust him.”
“You’re a paranoid guy. You don’t trust anybody.”
“I trust you.”
Naruto fumbles for something to say, nearly bowled over by the significance of such a seemingly simple admission Itachi didn’t hesitate to make. “Itachi, I...”
“Whatever my initial reservations concerning your relationship with Sasuke, my misgivings about Danzou’s ambitions are far greater. It seems he’s taken a liking to you.”
“Me? Why would he-” Eyes slightly wide, Naruto leans forward, chewing at the corner of his lip, tentative gaze never leaving Itachi’s. “Does he know about-”
“No. He’s been curious, though. Filling a decent amount of retrieval requests for your records. Because he’s doing it through the official channels, it’s nothing presumably suspicious, yet there’s little basis I can discern for his sudden interest in you.”
“I know I used to get in trouble a lot for pranking people and stuff, but I can’t have that much of a record. I just got accepted into the Academy last year.”
“Being Namikaze Minato’s son, you shouldn’t be surprised by how many people follow your progress. As well, despite your age, you can’t discount your extensive flying experience prior to the Academy. Apart from the more abstract concepts you still need to learn, as far as your tactical skills and aptitude for piloting are concerned, you have the potential to be the top rookie in your class.”
Naruto scoffs. “Only because Sasuke’s not in the Academy with me. We really could’ve been amazing together out there, you know. Something real special up there in the stars. Give everybody else who pretends they know how to fly a real run for their money.”
Again, he scoffs, fingers toying with the squared guard of the sword Sasuke left behind lying on the ground beside him, the curved, single-edged blade still stained with the blood from the dunemite Sasuke killed. “But my sheer awesomeness aside, if Danzou is interested, the fact that I’m almost as good of a fighter pilot as my dad can’t be the only reason he’s after me.”
“No, but your father and mother have pulled many strings to ensure few people know about you as possible. Our family, as well. We’ve all done our best for both your sake and Sasuke’s. Sasuke’s abilities we couldn’t keep hidden, but the burden you’ve endured yourself to carry...”
“Not to mention Sasuke’s connection to it. If anyone outside our families knew that he could manipulate-”
“That,” Itachi says, frighteningly calm, near ominous, “I won’t allow to happen.”
Letting go of Sasuke’s sword, hands fallen in his lap clasped together then pulled apart, Naruto gives a slow nod, reassured by the quiet intensity in Itachi’s voice, because he doesn’t want to question an assurance they both know Itachi wouldn’t be able to keep forever, because it’s easier to pretend he and Sasuke are five again, and being told they were special just meant they were lucky enough to have someone as cool as Itachi looking out for them.
Not because Sasuke had the rarest form of magic imaginable and Naruto had a powerful ancient demon that fought in the First Great War sealed inside of him.
Fingers curled into his palms, he presses his thumbs against throbbing knuckles. “I can fight with my fists, but Sasuke doesn’t even have his sword. Being out there alone, with no way to make contact, when we’re stranded in uncharted territory in a desert that spans for who knows how long, and he-”
“Can be incredibly resourceful. You know this.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know that. I know he can handle himself. He’s handed me my ass more times than I can count just to make sure I don’t forget, but it’s just-why aren’t you blaming me? I thought for sure you’d be mad at me. If my foot hadn’t got stuck under the seat, if Sasuke hadn’t tried to save me...”
“Being separated, yes, the circumstances are far from agreeable. The consequences of Sasuke’s actions...rather than himself, he chose to protect you. He’s always been reckless, too negligent with his wellbeing for anyone’s sanity, much less my own, but he wanted to protect you, Naruto. I won’t-I can’t fault you for that.
“If anything, I fault myself for allowing you to be in this situation at all. I couldn’t bear to lose either of you.”
Blinking away the slight sting behind his eyes, with a hollow laugh, Naruto looks up, tracing the shadows from the flames dancing along the ceiling of the cave. “Heh. So I get to be Naruto again, huh?”
“Like Sasuke says, you’ll always be Naruto.”
Lowering his gaze, Naruto gives Itachi a cheeky grin. “What about Sasuke’s boyfriend? Can I always be that, too?”
Itachi lets out a soft snort. “Don’t push your luck, Uzumaki.”
“And now it’s back to Uzumaki.” Still grinning, Naruto pulls at a loose thread from his pants, unravelling the stitching near the outside of his knee. “...for such a sudden show of acceptance, you do remember you almost killed me last month, right. Almost took my head clean off, among other things, so...yeah. Just to throw that out there. Because you like to opportunely forget things at certain times.”
“Discovering my little brother has been having an illicit affair with a sordid pilot eight months his senior, my reaction couldn’t be helped.”
Naruto nearly chokes on a squeak. “First off, there is nothing sordid about me. And we don’t have an illicit relationship. We’re both sixteen. Or well, okay, yeah, I’ll been seventeen in a couple more weeks, but it’s perfectly leg-”
“However, I will say this.”
“...yeah?”
“Make one false move, Uzumaki, and I won’t hesitate to give Sasuke the opportunity to never speak to me again.”
“Somehow, that, um, with the way you’re not really smiling at me right now, that sort of sounds like some kind of thinly veiled threat.”
“It is.”
“There’re horror stories about you floating around the base, you know. Sakura’s told me some, about the trainees under your command when you were Chief. She said the time she spent with you being her mentor was straight up pure hell. Even someone like Kakashi knows better than to mess with you.”
“You’ve committed yourself to being the exception to the rule evidently.”
“Well, yeah, but that doesn’t really count with us.” Sitting up a little from his place leaned against the wall, Naruto scratches the back of his head, grimacing as his fingers stop at the knotted strands of hair clumped together by traces of dried blood. “I’ve been around you like forever. My entire life. So I know if you dig down inside you, somewhere really, really deep down there, like way down in there beyond all the Admiral Uchiha stuff, you’re pretty much a big softie.”
A dark eyebrow is raised. “I wouldn’t consider myself a pushover.”
“Maybe not a complete softie but something close enough to being that. The same way Sasuke contradicts himself more than half the time, when he does the things he says he’s not going to do but still ends up doing anyway, because there’s some kind of biological tick that prevents him from being able to express his feelings like normal people.”
“I can’t account for Sasuke’s personality, but regarding your belief that I’m a supposed softie, you haven’t had the pleasure of being one of my trainees.”
“Which I am very grateful for.” Gingerly, with a slight wince, Naruto uncrosses both legs, not able to fully extend them because the cave is just that small but still able to get in something close to a stretch. “Extremely grateful for, since that same pleasure will now never have a chance to be had.”
“Admittedly, on occasion, I have been told my disciplinary methods can be rather...inspired.”
“Yeah, and that insane simulation program mandatory to pass to basic flight training, when Sasuke told me you’re the one who coded that, it’s no wonder why the graduating class is always so small. Most people have to repeat that whole course year at least twice.”
“You passed it on the first attempt.”
“Hell yeah, I did. And it was crazy hard, too. Almost impossible.” Naruto’s grin grows wider at the slight twitch almost bringing a genuine smile to Itachi’s lips. “But two years back, Sasuke coded a mock version of Tsukuyomi, and we used to sneak in the training deck and upload his programme to see who could get the best time. He’s still ahead of me by five seconds, but I already told him I was going beat him one day. If only it wasn’t for that stupid law that keeps him from signing up for the Academy.”
“It’s for his own protection, as well as for the people around him.”
“Yeah, I get that, accidentally Influencing people, not being able to fully control that part of his magic yet, especially since it can go haywire sometimes, but just because he happens to be who he is, doesn’t mean it’s fair to keep him from doing something he’s really good at.”
Itachi makes a low noise, a not quite hum that could be taken to mean either agreement or indifference. “I suppose your relationship hasn’t changed that much.”
“I don’t think it has. Or at least it doesn’t feel like it’s changed a lot. Except for the seriously incredible mind-blowing se-I mean, uh, yeah,” Naruto stammers, cutting himself off at Itachi’s sharp expression that instantly reminds him it’s Itachi he’s talking to. Itachi, not someone like Kiba or Shikamaru or any other of his friends from the Academy, because even though they’re really close, Itachi is still Sasuke’s older brother, and there are just some things that aren’t supposed to be done with Itachi.
One of them is going around talking about his and Sasuke’s sex life.
Or recently lack thereof, he should say, ever since Itachi caught him sneaking through the window into Sasuke’s room carrying a full bag of condoms, which led to Itachi trying to kill him, which then led to that highly embarrassing involuntary confession about the first time he and Sasuke almost had sex and Sasuke accidentally nearly bled his life force dry but just as soon brought him back to life and on the brink of what could’ve been one of the most amazing orgasms ever by way of the life force Sasuke transferred to him through a kiss-he’s still going to call it sex magic, no matter how many times Sasuke says it isn’t.
“Not at all. Things between us are the same they’ve always been. I still call him a bastard. He still calls me an idiot. I guess dating’s gotten us a little closer, now that we have that kind of relationship, but we’re still just Naruto and Sasuke, you know.”
“In the near future, that same relationship may well be composed solely of Sasuke and his memory of you.”
“You’d seriously risk Sasuke never speaking to you ever again just to get rid of me?”
“If it entails Sasuke coping with you being on the receiving end of an unfortunate accident coinciding with the explosion of your ship in midflight brought down by friendly fire unwittingly obscured beneath the pretext of enemy fire, I’m confident he has the capacity to get over it.”
Although he already knows Itachi has a very dark, almost wicked sense of humour, that a large part of him definitely knows Itachi would never really orchestrate that whole too highly well thought out scenario just to keep him from being with Sasuke, never mind Itachi’s peaceful expression and utterly calm delivery when he says these types of things, Naruto still can’t help it when his eyes bulge just a little. “...that isn’t the most comforting thing to say to the person you practically helped raise and are still extremely close to.”
“It’s not supposed to be.”
Shoulders starting to shake, Naruto tries and fails to keep in a snort, letting loose the heavy laughter bubbling within his chest, eyes bright, tinged with a smidgen of hysteria it takes too much effort to hold back, because all he can think about right now is how much Sasuke takes after his unapologetic brother, how much Sasuke acts just like Itachi, and damn it if he wouldn’t give anything to know that Sasuke’s okay.
Eventually, the laughter subsides, though, the brief note of not so happy calm broken by another overwrought silence despite Itachi’s second attempt at a smile too worn-out that only manages to make him look even more tired than Naruto already feels.
“It feels like we’ve been sitting in this cave since the beginning of time. My back hurts. My legs are too numb to move anymore. I think I’m forgetting how to use my arms. Every second I spend cooped up in here is another second I could be using to look for Sasuke out there, and I just feel so useless not being able to-”
“Get some rest, Naruto. We’ll find Sasuke tomorrow. The temperature’s dropped too low to go searching tonight, and you’re in no condition to do anything other than sleep.”
“I know, but...” Naruto trails off with a heavy sigh, biting his lip to rein in the angry frustration Itachi doesn’t deserve to be an outlet for. It’s useless to argue with him, anyway.
“It’ll be fine. I’ll be here when you wake up.”
Uncomfortable, reluctantly, Naruto tries to settle against the hard wall with too many jagged edges digging into this back. He closes his eyes, gradually lulled to sleep by the intermittent crackling of the fire already starting to die down.
Continued