Sunlight in a Dark Room - Chapter 12
Title: Sunlight in a Dark Room
Author: sunshine_melodi
Chapter: 12/? - Boomerang
Pairing: Itachi/Naruto
Wordcount: 5327
Rating: PG-15
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Author's Note: I'm so sorry for the wait. I'll use the excuse of having a very, horribly stressful summer. D: It was awful. -_-; I also had a bad writer's block. *sigh*
Anyways, much thanks to a_scattered_me for the beta. *hugs* And EmpyrealFantasy for all her help, encouragement and prodding. *hugs* I also think this chapter isn't too great. *sigh* It gave me a hard time and I think that it could have been better. *frown*
Enjoy. ^^
Chapter 12 - Boomerang
When Itachi opened his eyes, he found that it was almost dawn. The black of the night sky was already starting to turn purple in the east. The stars closest to the mountains had disappeared with the growing morning light.
Itachi could feel Naruto’s slow, rhythmic breathing on his chest as well as the heavy weight of the blond on the right half of his body. He shifted a bit in an attempt to remove himself from Naruto’s embrace but it proved futile when his captive followed and held a firmer grip. He was not used to this. Had Naruto been anyone else. Had their situation been different, Itachi would have left long ago. There would be no morning after. But, now, it had evolved.
And that was acceptable.
What was it about the younger man that made him feel like he needed something? Itachi had yet to figure out what exactly it was that he needed and it bothered him that he did not know yet. He was becoming increasingly more aware of how inexperienced he was with things like this.
Things like emotions.
They had become a trivial part of himself that he had thought he pushed away and hid deep within the depths of his mind. Locked tight and long forgotten.
It had taken years of training to be rid of them.
And it had only taken Naruto a matter of days to crack the surface and pull some out.
It wasn’t much but it was enough for Itachi to be rather unnerved about. Not once in his lifetime had anyone been able to overcome such a feat. And yet, here he was, in the arms of Naruto. Of his lover.
He regarded the blond once more before deciding it was time to get up. He had slept in long enough. The chilly morning air hit his skin like needles as he removed the body beside him and sat up. Itachi smirked when Naruto groaned in protest at losing both his pillow and his source for warmth. He scanned their campsite and frowned at their discarded wardrobes. It was unusual to see his clothing scattered in disarray. Being neat and particular about his belongings, Itachi never left a mess. No matter where he was.
He supposed he had Naruto to blame for the disorder.
As he was about to stand, Naruto reached out and grabbed onto his wrist. He looked down to see that his captive was still lying on his stomach and had yet to turn to face him. Itachi waited until the sleepy blue eyes of his lover frowned at him.
“Please tell me there’s a river we can wash up in,” Naruto’s voice was dry with sleep.
“Hn. To the east.”
“Good,” Naruto winced as he rolled onto his side, “Take me there now.”
“Excuse me?” Itachi arched an eyebrow at the disgruntled man beside him.
“I don’t think I can walk, Bastard,” Naruto blushed and turned away.
Itachi could not help but be amused with Naruto’s predicament.
And the blond was both surprised and irritated with what Itachi said next.
“Do you want to dress before I take you there or would you rather just go as you are?”
“Asshole. Just take me there like this,” Naruto grumbled as he wrapped the blanket around himself, “and bring our extra set of clothes.”
Itachi ignored the barb and dug through their small pack in search of the scroll containing their spare clothing and bathroom essentials. He idly noted that Keisuke had overdone himself with the extra supplies as he spotted a muscle relaxant cream. Hearing Naruto groan, about what Itachi assumed was his lower back, he released the small tube from the scroll and added it to the pile beside him.
He was not one to follow orders but Naruto would not lie about being so...incapacitated. Especially considering the circumstances that had caused it.
Picking up the items, Naruto included, Itachi walked eastward in the direction of the river. The blond had gone quiet along the way. His arms were wrapped loosely around Itachi’s neck, his head resting on his shoulder.
“This doesn’t change things,” Naruto stated.
Itachi didn’t answer.
It was not necessary for they both were well aware of their circumstances.
A few more minutes passed in silence before they broke through the underbrush and found the river Itachi had spoken of earlier. It was mostly shallow and when the Uchiha had placed Naruto near the edge, he discovered it was also extremely cold.
“We have to bathe in this?” Naruto frowned at his lover.
“Hn.”
“Bastard. It’s freezing.”
“I’ve noticed. We will have to make do.”
Finding absolutely no point in arguing, Naruto slipped into the frigid water. He couldn’t help cringing at the feeling. His eyes were clenched shut and his whole body was tense as he tried to get used to the cold.
Itachi watched him with mild amusement. He removed his own clothes and barely refrained from wincing when he tested the water with his legs. Itachi’s eyes remained on his lover’s form as he made a few hand seals and touched the water. Instantly, the small area around them warmed up to a comfortable temperature.
Naruto’s eyes widened comically.
“What the hell did you do?” He asked, somewhat impressed.
Itachi nodded towards, what Naruto assumed was, the edge of ‘small bath’ they were now encompassed in. Underneath the water was a wall of red flames. It came up from the floor and just touched the surface of the river.
“The barrier acts as a strainer,” Itachi explained, “The cold water is pushed through and heated. Then it is circulated in this makeshift bath until it cools and finally it is expelled through the wall again.”
“The red fire...” Naruto began but was interrupted.
“Is the same flame the Akatsuki used for lighting the pathways at the base. It does not dispel unless I stop the jutsu.”
“Well, I hope you don’t stop it anytime soon because I could really use a decent bath right now.”
Itachi silently agreed as he sat down on a large rock beneath the water. He watched Naruto attempting to stretch the kinks out of his sore body. The love bites on his neck and shoulder were alluring in more ways that he would ever admit. And the bruises on his hip intensified that feeling.
Naruto was his.
It was an unusual concept. To claim someone for himself.
Itachi reached out and gripped Naruto’s wrist, tugging him backwards. Surprised, the blond landed on the black haired man’s lap; back against his chest. Naruto’s neck automatically leaned to the side when he felt Itachi’s lips press against his shoulder. He gasped when teeth grazed a particular tender spot on his pulse.
“You are aware that I’m sore, right?” Naruto mumbled.
“I am.” Was Itachi’s response.
“And the fact that we already did this last night?”
Strong hands were placed on his back as Itachi’s deft fingers pressed into his tense and knotted muscles.
“Hn.”
Naruto moaned when the Uchiha’s hands found their way to his lower back; thumbs digging almost precisely where he was aching. The blond, long since relaxed, rested his head on Itachi’s shoulder and allowed him to push and knead at his sore muscles. Naruto sighed as Itachi eased out all of the tension...
Then that wonderful feeling stopped.
Naruto grimaced in annoyance and was about to voice it but Itachi spoke first.
“Do you still feel any pain?”
It was a random question that had the blond frowning.
“No. Why?” He responded.
Wait. Why wasn’t he feeling anything?
Naruto’s eyes widened when he followed Itachi’s gaze to his midsection. The seal was glowing red with the chakra being absorbed from the Uchiha’s jutsu.
“What the hell is going on?” Naruto whispered.
Itachi didn’t answer as a look of irritation crossed his handsome features. He made a few hand seals and they were suddenly engulfed in a wave of cold water. The Uchiha had deactivated the jutsu and was now hauling a rather disgruntled Naruto out of the river.
And it happened instantly.
A flash of pain erupted in his midsection. Naruto collapsed into a heap on the ground and curled in on himself; clutching his stomach. Large quantities of chakra was bursting through his system, reopening the blocked channels and flooding his body. After an agonizing minute, Naruto went completely numb, desperately trying to adjust to the chakra imbalance.
Itachi watched the blond intently. The seal had finally broken and the blast of energy that expelled from his lover had caught him by surprise, forcing him back to the tree line. Grabbing their discarded clothing from earlier, Itachi dressed himself and waited. The fight he had anticipated long ago was fast approaching and he was prepared for it. He had never fought Naruto while the younger man was under the influence of the Kyuubi’s powers. The prospect of that now was thrilling.
He didn’t fail to notice the tinge of concern cross his mind.
Naruto had stopped moving but the immense amount of chakra was still there. It was making the air thrum with the power it contained. The area around Naruto was sinking in under the pressure of it. Itachi watched with keen interest as fragments of rock were lifted into the air, broken down and disintegrated into nothing.
And just as fast as it had happened, everything stopped.
Any of the excess chakra was pulled back into the blond. It was an odd occurrence that compelled Itachi to stand his guard.
A calm before the storm.
Itachi’s eyes widened a fraction when a black substance of sorts began to bubble out from Naruto’s naked body. It poured over his skin, covering him until all that remained was a black cocoon of chakra. It was unusual considering that when Naruto tapped into the Kyuubi’s power, the manifestation of the fox was usually red. So that must mean that this was a mixture of Naruto’s, Kyuubi’s and other chakra sources.
A black arm reached out and gripped a handful of earth within its palm. The process was repeated with Naruto’s other arm. His head remained bowed as he stood with a grace that rivalled Itachi’s own. Nine tails whipped to and fro behind his lover but what irked Itachi the most was that Naruto was nowhere to be seen.
He couldn’t see him.
Even with his Sharingan, Itachi could not perceive anything past the black chakra. When the entity looked up at him, Itachi was met with black, colourless eyes. This was neither Naruto nor Kyuubi and yet it was still both. Itachi recalled the four tails taking on a more solid form of the animal but this, however, was different. He supposed the only similarity would be the demon relying on pure instinct much like the Wolf had.
That thought was proven correct when the Fox lunged at him. Itachi could barely dodge the swipe at his chest.
~*~
“Our time is almost up,” Jiraiya noted out loud, “One, maybe two days at most.”
“We aren’t going to abandon him,” Sasuke ground out. He hated to admit it, but what Jiraiya said was true. The Godaime would send a letter ordering them to return home with or without Naruto. If they didn’t have a solid lead that could extend their search by then, Sasuke would not return with his companions.
Naruto would have - and had already - done the same.
Damn Dobe.
In that instant, the group felt an intense wave of chakra surge through the land. And before they could decipher it, the pulse had passed. Sasuke sensed, what he could only describe as, an animalistic rage.
“Naruto,” he whispered before he took off in the direction of the source.
The others followed immediately. All of them knowing that immense amount of chakra could only be their missing friend.
It had to be.
“How far away was that?” Sakura asked.
“Four days.” Gaara had answered.
“If he’ll allow it, we can make it in two,” Jiraiya said as he stopped to land on the ground. Biting his thumb and writing the summoning seal at his feet, the Toad Sannin called forth Gamabunta.
A cloud of smoke erupted in front of the team and a loud voice bellowed, “What the hell do you want, Jiraiya?”
“I need you to take us to Naruto. He’s about four days east of here.”
“Is that a command?”
“He’s been taken by the Akatsuki.”
“How’d the Brat allow himself to be captured? I’ve told you before, Jiraiya, that boy is not worthy of my assistance.”
Sasuke tensed at that and was about to voice his opinion of the Toad’s comment when he felt Jiraiya squeeze his shoulder in warning.
“Come on, Gamabunta,” Jiraiya laughed, “We both know you care about Naruto just as much as I do.”
“Tch. Believe what you want but that boy is nothing but trouble.”
“True,” the Toad Sannin acknowledged the fact, “However, he is Naruto after all. Trouble seems to follow him wherever he goes.”
“Indeed. I will allow this, for now, Jiraiya.”
“We owe you all our thanks, Gamabunta.”
“Hurry up, Humans, or I’ll leave and get the Brat myself.”
The Konoha nin and Gaara ran up the side of the Toad and settled themselves at the crown of Gamabunta’s head.
“Here we go, guys and m’lady,” the white haired man smiled, “It’s about time we bring the Brat home.”
~*~
Itachi was almost out of chakra. His reserves were so low that he could barely dodge his opponent any longer. And that was all he had been doing. Dodging; running; making an attempt to relieve the Fox of the excess energy. He had already discovered that by chance, noticing that a half an hour into their fight, the black surrounding Naruto had faded to a deep purple.
And now, it appeared that the colour had not faded, but changed to an indigo. Flicks of lighter hues of blue would expel from the cocoon of chakra surrounding Naruto.
Almost there.
He needed to hold out just a little longer.
Making use of a technique acquired from his time with Sasori, Itachi threw several shuriken towards his dark opponent. The Fox instinctively dodged the weapons and was surprised to find himself immobile. An angered growl escaped the demon when Itachi appeared in front of him.
The Uchiha did not so much as flinch as the Fox attempted to bite him. Instead, Itachi moved closer so he was eye level with Kyuubi.
His words were whispered, “Fight it, Naruto.”
The intense chakra of the Fox finally burned through Itachi’s strings, freeing it, and the demon lashed out at the dark haired man with a vengeance. Itachi was exhausted but it was imperative that he hold out a little longer.
~*~
“We’re going to kill him, Naruto,” Kyuubi commented.
“That is not an option.” Was his response as he glared at her, “Why is it that neither of us are in control?”
She remained silent as if contemplating an answer.
“I suppose,” Kyuubi paused, “that whatever is fighting your mate out there, is almost two weeks of our combined and concentrated chakra unleashing itself...rather aggressively I might add.”
“So what do we do then?” Naruto was still glaring at her.
“It appears that the Uchiha is attempting to weaken us but the boy can only last for so long.”
“Why is it that you can sense what’s happening outside and...”
The fox cut him off, “And you can’t?”
The blond nodded.
“I’ve been stuck in here for a long time, Brat. You’ve blundered up enough over the years for me to discover enough loopholes to slip out. You, however, have not had the opportunity of spending eighteen years of your life trapped behind a seal, within a container.”
“Good point,” Naruto sighed in frustration, “So...”
“We wait. All you can do is hope that your mate doesn’t die before one of us can resume control.”
Naruto frowned at her, “He’s not...”
“Then what is he, Boy?”
Naruto sat down and did not respond for a while. When he did, it was quiet; barely audible.
“I don’t know.”
~*~
He wasn’t fast enough anymore. After avoiding a kick to his side, he had not anticipated the Fox twisting Naruto’s body and throwing a right hook to his jaw. The metallic taste of blood ran over his tongue and he spat out the offending fluid.
The indigo chakra had completely dissipated and now only Naruto’s body remained.
It was almost over.
As expected, he faltered again and a precise blow to his abdomen left him breathless and gasping for air. The blond pinned him to the ground and grinned in triumph. He had won. The laugh that was emitted from him only further convinced Itachi that this was not Naruto.
And this was all the time Itachi needed.
As soon as the Fox made eye contact, the Uchiha did the only thing he could do. His last resort.
~*~
“Naruto.”
Naruto’s eyes widened when he looked to see Itachi walking out of the shadows.
“You are a troublesome captive,” the Uchiha commented when hoisted the blond up onto his feet, “We’re leaving.”
“So this is the elder one, hm?” Kyuubi grinned, “You’ve chosen well, Brat.”
Itachi arched an eyebrow but said nothing.
“Wait. What the hell?” Naruto sputtered unintelligently.
“If my theory is correct, you should be able to take control. I need you,” he looked towards Kyuubi, “to suppress what is left of yours and Naruto’s chakra.”
The demon laughed, “That is not going to work, Boy. Our chakra has already merged at its basic level. It cannot be split nor can we go back to the way we once were. It was clever of you to think of exhausting that entity of ours, but if Naruto leaves with you now, I will no longer exist.”
“What do you mean, Kyuubi?” Naruto said quietly.
She chuckled, “Because our chakra has merged - is still merging - the least dominant one out of the two of us will quite literally disperse and be absorbed by the other. That is what I believe will happen anyway.”
“How can you say that so casually?” Naruto furrowed his brows, “Hold on. How long have you known this would happen?”
“I can say it because it is inevitable,” she paused, “To answer your second question, I suppose since the seal started to break. It was only a speculation then. Now, I am quite positive that it was a correct assumption.”
“So what do you want to do then?” Naruto asked honestly.
He had never expected to be giving the Fox a choice of her life or his. He always thought that she would remain a constant in his life, like she had already become. His inner voice if you will. Or, that nagging conscience that refused to shut up. Stupid fox.
Despite his inner debate, Naruto chuckled to himself.
“Is something funny, Brat?” She glared at him, “This is not the time to be laughing.”
He ignored her comment, “Do you want to be free?”
Her eyes brightened at the question; the possibilities. Freedom was something she had been denied for so long. If their situation had been any different, Kyuubi would have taken his offer. But the circumstances had already changed. As she looked down at her host, she could immediately see that he was very serious about letting her go. That alone was enough to make her choose the only other option. The Brat was too willing to please, a fault if she ever saw one.
Another reason stood not two feet away from the blond. The mate. She could practically taste the scent of possession permeating from the Uchiha. It would not bode well for her should she choose to take control and allow Naruto to disappear. Even if she took Naruto’s offer, she would have Itachi to deal with.
Troublesome.
“I don’t believe I have a choice, Naruto,” she finally answered, “There is nothing left for me out there.”
“Of course you have a choice,” the blond spoke up.
“I will be hunted.”
It was a statement of fact. Once word of her re-existence crossed the lands, she would be sought after - like before. Choosing to die now, naturally, like a demon is supposed to compared to dying at the hands of greedy humans or being trapped within another container was the more agreeable decision.
“You are free, Naruto,” Kyuubi stood at her full height, “Take care of yourself, Brat.”
Before Naruto could protest, she pushed him out and nodded her acquiesce to Itachi, “Do not make me regret my decision.”
The threat held no meaning; both of them knew this, but Itachi ‘hned’ and disappeared from her sight.
She shook her head, “Uchihas.”
~*~
Judging from the fluctuating chakra, Gaara surmised that Naruto and Itachi were fighting. They were still too far away from them to identify the signatures, but the acute senses he had acquired from Shukaku indicated that the stronger of the two chakra must be the Kyuubi’s. No normal ninja could possess such a large amount of chakra.
He stared at the passing scenery idly, rather impressed with how the ride on the giant toad was as smooth as it was. And rarely ever was Sabaku no Gaara impressed.
He had not spoken a word to any of Naruto’s team mates over the last few days. There was no need to even if Sai constantly pestered him with questions and inappropriate comments. He wondered how the blond was able to stand the idiot. Sasuke had also been keeping to himself. It was quite obvious the Uchiha blamed himself for all of this. Gaara even blamed him. Though he knew that it wasn’t fair to pin all the responsibility on Sasuke but Naruto was a delicate subject for both of them. He understood that his friend would not return his feelings, Gaara had already accepted that. Sasuke, however, was a different matter. From what he gathered by the way the Uchiha was acting, he had recently told Naruto of his own feelings.
And that they had not been reciprocated.
Perhaps that is why Naruto had gotten himself captured. Distraction was not something a ninja could afford in his line of work. Even on his leisure time. As Kazekage, Gaara knew that all too well.
“All of this waiting is kind of making me edgy,” Sakura said as she came up to stand by the redhead.
Gaara nodded his agreement but otherwise said nothing. Her presence had been the only one he had tolerated on this mission. The Toad Sannin even annoyed him.
“Can you tell if it’s him?” She asked quietly.
Gaara regarded her silently; she was looking at him with what he deduced as hope-filled eyes. Her feminine features were lined with worry and fatigue gained over the last week and a half. The corners of his lips turned up in a small smile. If Naruto was to have seen her now, his blatant honesty about her current appearance would result in a not so happy Sakura.
“It could only be him.” Was Gaara’s response after there was another surge of raw chakra before the distant signature faded to nothing, “We need to hurry.”
~*~
Naruto opened his eyes to a clear blue sky. From what he could tell, he was sprawled out on the ground and not in a comfortable way. He could feel annoyingly large rocks digging into his back and holy shit did his body ever ache. Now that he thought about it, the pain seemed to intensify. The familiar flow of chakra was finally present within his body and he could vaguely feel himself healing, albeit slowly. Kyuubi’s abilities must have remained alongside her chakra.
Kyuubi.
Naruto tried to reach into his mind to speak with her but before he could even reach the cavern, he was forcibly removed. Naruto could not help but feel a sense of loss and loneliness.
He was too exhausted to lift himself up to examine Yondaime’s seal. Breathing even hurt. Gods, where was Itachi?
Dread started to seep through his mind as he forced himself to roll over and raise his head to search for his captor. The Uchiha had come to retrieve him from the confines of the seal but Naruto hadn’t been able to tell if Itachi was alright or not.
When he looked up, his eyes widened at the scenery before him. What was once a well forested area - lush, green and full of life - could now be described as a wasteland. It appeared that he was at the center of a giant crater. The river was gone. In its place was hardened glass, most likely from the sand becoming liquefied as a result of the battle. Other than that, nothing was left but rocks and dirt.
Not even Itachi.
“So you lived?” The familiar deep voice of his lover came from behind him.
Naruto turned around, too quickly, and lost his balance. Strong arms caught him and he was pulled into the elder man’s embrace.
“Yeah and I feel like shit, Bastard.”
“Hn.” Was the expected response as the Uchiha held onto the blond before shoving a set of clothing into Naruto’s arms, “Get dressed. We need to leave.”
“Hm,” Naruto mumbled as he finally looked down at himself.
A bright flush coloured his cheeks when he realized that he was still very naked. Grumbling a few obscenities, Naruto complied and slowly dressed himself. He was completely awestruck at the thought that the Uchiha could still function after fighting what must have one hell of a battle.
“Itachi?” Naruto’s asked quietly, “Are you...okay?”
“I’m fine.”
It was almost instantly that Naruto picked up the obvious smell of blood. Walking up to his captor, he pressed his body against him. Inhaling Itachi’s distinct scent overlaid with the odour of fresh wounds; deep wounds.
“You’re not,” Naruto sighed, somewhat miffed at the blatant falsehood, “There’s no need to lie, Uchiha.”
“I’ve already dealt with my injuries while you were unconscious. It is not necessary to worry.”
“Who said I was worried?” The blond growled out completely missing the small smirk playing on his lover’s lips, “Asshole.”
Naruto tensed when Itachi suddenly leaned onto him. He felt like dead weight as the tired blond attempted to hold him up. Failing miserably, they fell to the ground. Naruto cursed loudly when he discovered that the ever proud Uchiha Itachi had passed out. And another string of fancy words escaped his mouth when he struggled to get out from underneath the heavier man.
There was no way they would be leaving tonight.
It took some time before Naruto was able to manoeuvre himself out from underneath Itachi. His soreness was starting to ebb, but it still hurt to move. Rolling the older man over as carefully as he could, Naruto dug in the pack at Itachi’s side. He silently thanked him for thinking ahead and retrieving the pack the redhead bastard had provided them.
Now he wasn’t sure if he would be able to actually summon anything from the scroll, but, as he looked over at the unconscious Uchiha, he knew he had to. Itachi had said that he had dealt with the wounds already, but Naruto got this feeling that he had not done enough. Which would explain why the man was so incapacitated.
As he searched through the list on the scroll, Naruto hated to admit that he was rather impressed with the amount and variety of items that Keisuke had provided them. He allowed himself a loud scoff before he made some quick hand seals and the first aid articles he needed appeared in front of him. Naruto smiled slightly at the realization that he was standing there very much a part of the living. And he had Itachi to thank for that even if the bastard was the one who forced him into the situation in the first place.
He was alive.
They were alive.
~*~
“Take care, Jiraiya,” Gamabunta said as he disappeared in a cloud of smoke, “Make sure the Brat comes back in one piece.”
The Old Man nodded and thanked the Toad King silently. He turned to the rest of the group who had already begun to check the area out. He wasn’t surprised at the damage done to the forest considering the participants involved. Naruto was never one to leave a battlefield even somewhat intact. The whole place had to be destroyed or ‘it wasn’t a good fight’. Jiraiya was chuckling lightly to himself when a presence to his left indicated he was no longer alone.
“This is not the time to be laughing,” Sasuke hissed angrily.
“Shut it, Boy,” Jiraiya ordered, “He’s not here, is he?”
“No. I’ve located remnants of Itachi’s chakra and a dried pool of his blood but not Naruto’s. There’s no trace of him here at all only an unknown signature.”
“Well, that can’t be right,” the Toad Sannin lifted his chin in thought, “That huge chakra signature could only be his.”
“There is nothing,” Sasuke reiterated. His tone was icy and hard. Their only trail had gone cold and from the looks of it, Naruto was not with Itachi. As well as the fact that the elder Uchiha could already be dead or dying somewhere - and not by Sasuke’s hands.
A shadow fell across Sasuke’s features when it dawned on him.
Failure.
He had failed. Everything - his ambition; his cause - and everyone - Naruto; his family. He had come so close and it just slipped through his grasp. He hadn’t been able to hold on.
There was nothing left.
“Calm down, Sasuke,” Jiraiya’s voice interrupted his train of thought, “There’s no need for that here.”
Sasuke opened his eyes, noticing the blue streaks of electricity crackling in and around him. Chidori Nagashi. He hadn’t even heard it; felt it. Taking a calming breath, the youngest Uchiha disrupted the chakra flow through his body and halted the jutsu.
Shit.
That had been the only time he lost control of it since he had first learned the Nagashi form of Kakashi’s jutsu.
“Sasuke-kun?” He heard Sakura speak, “Are you okay?”
He nodded but did not answer. Sasuke felt Gaara and Sai approach as well. Most likely from the chakra flux.
“Did you two find anything?” He asked, purposely avoiding the subject of himself.
Gaara, surprisingly, spoke first, “No. Only a chakra signature that you identified as Uchiha Itachi and the unidentified one.”
“I’m rather curious about that second, larger chakra we felt two days ago,” Sai thought aloud, “It had Naruto written all over it, but...could it have been altered?”
“His signature could not have possibly changed,” Sakura stated, “Even with the Kyuubi’s chakra, it should have remained specific to Naruto alone.”
“We don’t know that for sure, now do we? Sakura-chan?” Jiraiya grinned.
“No, but, it’s not possible for it to change.”
“Not a lot is known about Jinchuuriki. So we should suspect anything to be possible when it comes to them. We have to look underneath the underneath, right?”
“So are you saying we should consider this unfamiliar chakra signature to be Naruto’s?” She frowned.
Sasuke turned his attention back to the group and waited for an answer from the Toad Sannin.
“We might as well because it’s all we got to go on now.”
“There’s nothing to follow,” Sasuke motioned towards the direction of the dried blood on the ground, “The other signature ends there.”
“Well if Itachi is injured, I’m betting that whoever is with him will have taken him to the next town. It’s north from here, the Hidden Village of the Mist, I believe,” Jiraiya winked at the rest of the team before vanishing.
He chuckled to himself as he sped north, glancing back at the children behind him attempting to catch up.
“Heh. I’ve still got it.”
Previous
~*~*~
boo·mer·ang
-verb (used without an object)
to come back; rebound; bounce back; return
*laughs* This is my sad attempt at defining the meaning to the chapter title. o.O Because it might not have made sense. :P
Author: sunshine_melodi
Chapter: 12/? - Boomerang
Pairing: Itachi/Naruto
Wordcount: 5327
Rating: PG-15
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Author's Note: I'm so sorry for the wait. I'll use the excuse of having a very, horribly stressful summer. D: It was awful. -_-; I also had a bad writer's block. *sigh*
Anyways, much thanks to a_scattered_me for the beta. *hugs* And EmpyrealFantasy for all her help, encouragement and prodding. *hugs* I also think this chapter isn't too great. *sigh* It gave me a hard time and I think that it could have been better. *frown*
Enjoy. ^^
Chapter 12 - Boomerang
When Itachi opened his eyes, he found that it was almost dawn. The black of the night sky was already starting to turn purple in the east. The stars closest to the mountains had disappeared with the growing morning light.
Itachi could feel Naruto’s slow, rhythmic breathing on his chest as well as the heavy weight of the blond on the right half of his body. He shifted a bit in an attempt to remove himself from Naruto’s embrace but it proved futile when his captive followed and held a firmer grip. He was not used to this. Had Naruto been anyone else. Had their situation been different, Itachi would have left long ago. There would be no morning after. But, now, it had evolved.
And that was acceptable.
What was it about the younger man that made him feel like he needed something? Itachi had yet to figure out what exactly it was that he needed and it bothered him that he did not know yet. He was becoming increasingly more aware of how inexperienced he was with things like this.
Things like emotions.
They had become a trivial part of himself that he had thought he pushed away and hid deep within the depths of his mind. Locked tight and long forgotten.
It had taken years of training to be rid of them.
And it had only taken Naruto a matter of days to crack the surface and pull some out.
It wasn’t much but it was enough for Itachi to be rather unnerved about. Not once in his lifetime had anyone been able to overcome such a feat. And yet, here he was, in the arms of Naruto. Of his lover.
He regarded the blond once more before deciding it was time to get up. He had slept in long enough. The chilly morning air hit his skin like needles as he removed the body beside him and sat up. Itachi smirked when Naruto groaned in protest at losing both his pillow and his source for warmth. He scanned their campsite and frowned at their discarded wardrobes. It was unusual to see his clothing scattered in disarray. Being neat and particular about his belongings, Itachi never left a mess. No matter where he was.
He supposed he had Naruto to blame for the disorder.
As he was about to stand, Naruto reached out and grabbed onto his wrist. He looked down to see that his captive was still lying on his stomach and had yet to turn to face him. Itachi waited until the sleepy blue eyes of his lover frowned at him.
“Please tell me there’s a river we can wash up in,” Naruto’s voice was dry with sleep.
“Hn. To the east.”
“Good,” Naruto winced as he rolled onto his side, “Take me there now.”
“Excuse me?” Itachi arched an eyebrow at the disgruntled man beside him.
“I don’t think I can walk, Bastard,” Naruto blushed and turned away.
Itachi could not help but be amused with Naruto’s predicament.
And the blond was both surprised and irritated with what Itachi said next.
“Do you want to dress before I take you there or would you rather just go as you are?”
“Asshole. Just take me there like this,” Naruto grumbled as he wrapped the blanket around himself, “and bring our extra set of clothes.”
Itachi ignored the barb and dug through their small pack in search of the scroll containing their spare clothing and bathroom essentials. He idly noted that Keisuke had overdone himself with the extra supplies as he spotted a muscle relaxant cream. Hearing Naruto groan, about what Itachi assumed was his lower back, he released the small tube from the scroll and added it to the pile beside him.
He was not one to follow orders but Naruto would not lie about being so...incapacitated. Especially considering the circumstances that had caused it.
Picking up the items, Naruto included, Itachi walked eastward in the direction of the river. The blond had gone quiet along the way. His arms were wrapped loosely around Itachi’s neck, his head resting on his shoulder.
“This doesn’t change things,” Naruto stated.
Itachi didn’t answer.
It was not necessary for they both were well aware of their circumstances.
A few more minutes passed in silence before they broke through the underbrush and found the river Itachi had spoken of earlier. It was mostly shallow and when the Uchiha had placed Naruto near the edge, he discovered it was also extremely cold.
“We have to bathe in this?” Naruto frowned at his lover.
“Hn.”
“Bastard. It’s freezing.”
“I’ve noticed. We will have to make do.”
Finding absolutely no point in arguing, Naruto slipped into the frigid water. He couldn’t help cringing at the feeling. His eyes were clenched shut and his whole body was tense as he tried to get used to the cold.
Itachi watched him with mild amusement. He removed his own clothes and barely refrained from wincing when he tested the water with his legs. Itachi’s eyes remained on his lover’s form as he made a few hand seals and touched the water. Instantly, the small area around them warmed up to a comfortable temperature.
Naruto’s eyes widened comically.
“What the hell did you do?” He asked, somewhat impressed.
Itachi nodded towards, what Naruto assumed was, the edge of ‘small bath’ they were now encompassed in. Underneath the water was a wall of red flames. It came up from the floor and just touched the surface of the river.
“The barrier acts as a strainer,” Itachi explained, “The cold water is pushed through and heated. Then it is circulated in this makeshift bath until it cools and finally it is expelled through the wall again.”
“The red fire...” Naruto began but was interrupted.
“Is the same flame the Akatsuki used for lighting the pathways at the base. It does not dispel unless I stop the jutsu.”
“Well, I hope you don’t stop it anytime soon because I could really use a decent bath right now.”
Itachi silently agreed as he sat down on a large rock beneath the water. He watched Naruto attempting to stretch the kinks out of his sore body. The love bites on his neck and shoulder were alluring in more ways that he would ever admit. And the bruises on his hip intensified that feeling.
Naruto was his.
It was an unusual concept. To claim someone for himself.
Itachi reached out and gripped Naruto’s wrist, tugging him backwards. Surprised, the blond landed on the black haired man’s lap; back against his chest. Naruto’s neck automatically leaned to the side when he felt Itachi’s lips press against his shoulder. He gasped when teeth grazed a particular tender spot on his pulse.
“You are aware that I’m sore, right?” Naruto mumbled.
“I am.” Was Itachi’s response.
“And the fact that we already did this last night?”
Strong hands were placed on his back as Itachi’s deft fingers pressed into his tense and knotted muscles.
“Hn.”
Naruto moaned when the Uchiha’s hands found their way to his lower back; thumbs digging almost precisely where he was aching. The blond, long since relaxed, rested his head on Itachi’s shoulder and allowed him to push and knead at his sore muscles. Naruto sighed as Itachi eased out all of the tension...
Then that wonderful feeling stopped.
Naruto grimaced in annoyance and was about to voice it but Itachi spoke first.
“Do you still feel any pain?”
It was a random question that had the blond frowning.
“No. Why?” He responded.
Wait. Why wasn’t he feeling anything?
Naruto’s eyes widened when he followed Itachi’s gaze to his midsection. The seal was glowing red with the chakra being absorbed from the Uchiha’s jutsu.
“What the hell is going on?” Naruto whispered.
Itachi didn’t answer as a look of irritation crossed his handsome features. He made a few hand seals and they were suddenly engulfed in a wave of cold water. The Uchiha had deactivated the jutsu and was now hauling a rather disgruntled Naruto out of the river.
And it happened instantly.
A flash of pain erupted in his midsection. Naruto collapsed into a heap on the ground and curled in on himself; clutching his stomach. Large quantities of chakra was bursting through his system, reopening the blocked channels and flooding his body. After an agonizing minute, Naruto went completely numb, desperately trying to adjust to the chakra imbalance.
Itachi watched the blond intently. The seal had finally broken and the blast of energy that expelled from his lover had caught him by surprise, forcing him back to the tree line. Grabbing their discarded clothing from earlier, Itachi dressed himself and waited. The fight he had anticipated long ago was fast approaching and he was prepared for it. He had never fought Naruto while the younger man was under the influence of the Kyuubi’s powers. The prospect of that now was thrilling.
He didn’t fail to notice the tinge of concern cross his mind.
Naruto had stopped moving but the immense amount of chakra was still there. It was making the air thrum with the power it contained. The area around Naruto was sinking in under the pressure of it. Itachi watched with keen interest as fragments of rock were lifted into the air, broken down and disintegrated into nothing.
And just as fast as it had happened, everything stopped.
Any of the excess chakra was pulled back into the blond. It was an odd occurrence that compelled Itachi to stand his guard.
A calm before the storm.
Itachi’s eyes widened a fraction when a black substance of sorts began to bubble out from Naruto’s naked body. It poured over his skin, covering him until all that remained was a black cocoon of chakra. It was unusual considering that when Naruto tapped into the Kyuubi’s power, the manifestation of the fox was usually red. So that must mean that this was a mixture of Naruto’s, Kyuubi’s and other chakra sources.
A black arm reached out and gripped a handful of earth within its palm. The process was repeated with Naruto’s other arm. His head remained bowed as he stood with a grace that rivalled Itachi’s own. Nine tails whipped to and fro behind his lover but what irked Itachi the most was that Naruto was nowhere to be seen.
He couldn’t see him.
Even with his Sharingan, Itachi could not perceive anything past the black chakra. When the entity looked up at him, Itachi was met with black, colourless eyes. This was neither Naruto nor Kyuubi and yet it was still both. Itachi recalled the four tails taking on a more solid form of the animal but this, however, was different. He supposed the only similarity would be the demon relying on pure instinct much like the Wolf had.
That thought was proven correct when the Fox lunged at him. Itachi could barely dodge the swipe at his chest.
~*~
“Our time is almost up,” Jiraiya noted out loud, “One, maybe two days at most.”
“We aren’t going to abandon him,” Sasuke ground out. He hated to admit it, but what Jiraiya said was true. The Godaime would send a letter ordering them to return home with or without Naruto. If they didn’t have a solid lead that could extend their search by then, Sasuke would not return with his companions.
Naruto would have - and had already - done the same.
Damn Dobe.
In that instant, the group felt an intense wave of chakra surge through the land. And before they could decipher it, the pulse had passed. Sasuke sensed, what he could only describe as, an animalistic rage.
“Naruto,” he whispered before he took off in the direction of the source.
The others followed immediately. All of them knowing that immense amount of chakra could only be their missing friend.
It had to be.
“How far away was that?” Sakura asked.
“Four days.” Gaara had answered.
“If he’ll allow it, we can make it in two,” Jiraiya said as he stopped to land on the ground. Biting his thumb and writing the summoning seal at his feet, the Toad Sannin called forth Gamabunta.
A cloud of smoke erupted in front of the team and a loud voice bellowed, “What the hell do you want, Jiraiya?”
“I need you to take us to Naruto. He’s about four days east of here.”
“Is that a command?”
“He’s been taken by the Akatsuki.”
“How’d the Brat allow himself to be captured? I’ve told you before, Jiraiya, that boy is not worthy of my assistance.”
Sasuke tensed at that and was about to voice his opinion of the Toad’s comment when he felt Jiraiya squeeze his shoulder in warning.
“Come on, Gamabunta,” Jiraiya laughed, “We both know you care about Naruto just as much as I do.”
“Tch. Believe what you want but that boy is nothing but trouble.”
“True,” the Toad Sannin acknowledged the fact, “However, he is Naruto after all. Trouble seems to follow him wherever he goes.”
“Indeed. I will allow this, for now, Jiraiya.”
“We owe you all our thanks, Gamabunta.”
“Hurry up, Humans, or I’ll leave and get the Brat myself.”
The Konoha nin and Gaara ran up the side of the Toad and settled themselves at the crown of Gamabunta’s head.
“Here we go, guys and m’lady,” the white haired man smiled, “It’s about time we bring the Brat home.”
~*~
Itachi was almost out of chakra. His reserves were so low that he could barely dodge his opponent any longer. And that was all he had been doing. Dodging; running; making an attempt to relieve the Fox of the excess energy. He had already discovered that by chance, noticing that a half an hour into their fight, the black surrounding Naruto had faded to a deep purple.
And now, it appeared that the colour had not faded, but changed to an indigo. Flicks of lighter hues of blue would expel from the cocoon of chakra surrounding Naruto.
Almost there.
He needed to hold out just a little longer.
Making use of a technique acquired from his time with Sasori, Itachi threw several shuriken towards his dark opponent. The Fox instinctively dodged the weapons and was surprised to find himself immobile. An angered growl escaped the demon when Itachi appeared in front of him.
The Uchiha did not so much as flinch as the Fox attempted to bite him. Instead, Itachi moved closer so he was eye level with Kyuubi.
His words were whispered, “Fight it, Naruto.”
The intense chakra of the Fox finally burned through Itachi’s strings, freeing it, and the demon lashed out at the dark haired man with a vengeance. Itachi was exhausted but it was imperative that he hold out a little longer.
~*~
“We’re going to kill him, Naruto,” Kyuubi commented.
“That is not an option.” Was his response as he glared at her, “Why is it that neither of us are in control?”
She remained silent as if contemplating an answer.
“I suppose,” Kyuubi paused, “that whatever is fighting your mate out there, is almost two weeks of our combined and concentrated chakra unleashing itself...rather aggressively I might add.”
“So what do we do then?” Naruto was still glaring at her.
“It appears that the Uchiha is attempting to weaken us but the boy can only last for so long.”
“Why is it that you can sense what’s happening outside and...”
The fox cut him off, “And you can’t?”
The blond nodded.
“I’ve been stuck in here for a long time, Brat. You’ve blundered up enough over the years for me to discover enough loopholes to slip out. You, however, have not had the opportunity of spending eighteen years of your life trapped behind a seal, within a container.”
“Good point,” Naruto sighed in frustration, “So...”
“We wait. All you can do is hope that your mate doesn’t die before one of us can resume control.”
Naruto frowned at her, “He’s not...”
“Then what is he, Boy?”
Naruto sat down and did not respond for a while. When he did, it was quiet; barely audible.
“I don’t know.”
~*~
He wasn’t fast enough anymore. After avoiding a kick to his side, he had not anticipated the Fox twisting Naruto’s body and throwing a right hook to his jaw. The metallic taste of blood ran over his tongue and he spat out the offending fluid.
The indigo chakra had completely dissipated and now only Naruto’s body remained.
It was almost over.
As expected, he faltered again and a precise blow to his abdomen left him breathless and gasping for air. The blond pinned him to the ground and grinned in triumph. He had won. The laugh that was emitted from him only further convinced Itachi that this was not Naruto.
And this was all the time Itachi needed.
As soon as the Fox made eye contact, the Uchiha did the only thing he could do. His last resort.
~*~
“Naruto.”
Naruto’s eyes widened when he looked to see Itachi walking out of the shadows.
“You are a troublesome captive,” the Uchiha commented when hoisted the blond up onto his feet, “We’re leaving.”
“So this is the elder one, hm?” Kyuubi grinned, “You’ve chosen well, Brat.”
Itachi arched an eyebrow but said nothing.
“Wait. What the hell?” Naruto sputtered unintelligently.
“If my theory is correct, you should be able to take control. I need you,” he looked towards Kyuubi, “to suppress what is left of yours and Naruto’s chakra.”
The demon laughed, “That is not going to work, Boy. Our chakra has already merged at its basic level. It cannot be split nor can we go back to the way we once were. It was clever of you to think of exhausting that entity of ours, but if Naruto leaves with you now, I will no longer exist.”
“What do you mean, Kyuubi?” Naruto said quietly.
She chuckled, “Because our chakra has merged - is still merging - the least dominant one out of the two of us will quite literally disperse and be absorbed by the other. That is what I believe will happen anyway.”
“How can you say that so casually?” Naruto furrowed his brows, “Hold on. How long have you known this would happen?”
“I can say it because it is inevitable,” she paused, “To answer your second question, I suppose since the seal started to break. It was only a speculation then. Now, I am quite positive that it was a correct assumption.”
“So what do you want to do then?” Naruto asked honestly.
He had never expected to be giving the Fox a choice of her life or his. He always thought that she would remain a constant in his life, like she had already become. His inner voice if you will. Or, that nagging conscience that refused to shut up. Stupid fox.
Despite his inner debate, Naruto chuckled to himself.
“Is something funny, Brat?” She glared at him, “This is not the time to be laughing.”
He ignored her comment, “Do you want to be free?”
Her eyes brightened at the question; the possibilities. Freedom was something she had been denied for so long. If their situation had been any different, Kyuubi would have taken his offer. But the circumstances had already changed. As she looked down at her host, she could immediately see that he was very serious about letting her go. That alone was enough to make her choose the only other option. The Brat was too willing to please, a fault if she ever saw one.
Another reason stood not two feet away from the blond. The mate. She could practically taste the scent of possession permeating from the Uchiha. It would not bode well for her should she choose to take control and allow Naruto to disappear. Even if she took Naruto’s offer, she would have Itachi to deal with.
Troublesome.
“I don’t believe I have a choice, Naruto,” she finally answered, “There is nothing left for me out there.”
“Of course you have a choice,” the blond spoke up.
“I will be hunted.”
It was a statement of fact. Once word of her re-existence crossed the lands, she would be sought after - like before. Choosing to die now, naturally, like a demon is supposed to compared to dying at the hands of greedy humans or being trapped within another container was the more agreeable decision.
“You are free, Naruto,” Kyuubi stood at her full height, “Take care of yourself, Brat.”
Before Naruto could protest, she pushed him out and nodded her acquiesce to Itachi, “Do not make me regret my decision.”
The threat held no meaning; both of them knew this, but Itachi ‘hned’ and disappeared from her sight.
She shook her head, “Uchihas.”
~*~
Judging from the fluctuating chakra, Gaara surmised that Naruto and Itachi were fighting. They were still too far away from them to identify the signatures, but the acute senses he had acquired from Shukaku indicated that the stronger of the two chakra must be the Kyuubi’s. No normal ninja could possess such a large amount of chakra.
He stared at the passing scenery idly, rather impressed with how the ride on the giant toad was as smooth as it was. And rarely ever was Sabaku no Gaara impressed.
He had not spoken a word to any of Naruto’s team mates over the last few days. There was no need to even if Sai constantly pestered him with questions and inappropriate comments. He wondered how the blond was able to stand the idiot. Sasuke had also been keeping to himself. It was quite obvious the Uchiha blamed himself for all of this. Gaara even blamed him. Though he knew that it wasn’t fair to pin all the responsibility on Sasuke but Naruto was a delicate subject for both of them. He understood that his friend would not return his feelings, Gaara had already accepted that. Sasuke, however, was a different matter. From what he gathered by the way the Uchiha was acting, he had recently told Naruto of his own feelings.
And that they had not been reciprocated.
Perhaps that is why Naruto had gotten himself captured. Distraction was not something a ninja could afford in his line of work. Even on his leisure time. As Kazekage, Gaara knew that all too well.
“All of this waiting is kind of making me edgy,” Sakura said as she came up to stand by the redhead.
Gaara nodded his agreement but otherwise said nothing. Her presence had been the only one he had tolerated on this mission. The Toad Sannin even annoyed him.
“Can you tell if it’s him?” She asked quietly.
Gaara regarded her silently; she was looking at him with what he deduced as hope-filled eyes. Her feminine features were lined with worry and fatigue gained over the last week and a half. The corners of his lips turned up in a small smile. If Naruto was to have seen her now, his blatant honesty about her current appearance would result in a not so happy Sakura.
“It could only be him.” Was Gaara’s response after there was another surge of raw chakra before the distant signature faded to nothing, “We need to hurry.”
~*~
Naruto opened his eyes to a clear blue sky. From what he could tell, he was sprawled out on the ground and not in a comfortable way. He could feel annoyingly large rocks digging into his back and holy shit did his body ever ache. Now that he thought about it, the pain seemed to intensify. The familiar flow of chakra was finally present within his body and he could vaguely feel himself healing, albeit slowly. Kyuubi’s abilities must have remained alongside her chakra.
Kyuubi.
Naruto tried to reach into his mind to speak with her but before he could even reach the cavern, he was forcibly removed. Naruto could not help but feel a sense of loss and loneliness.
He was too exhausted to lift himself up to examine Yondaime’s seal. Breathing even hurt. Gods, where was Itachi?
Dread started to seep through his mind as he forced himself to roll over and raise his head to search for his captor. The Uchiha had come to retrieve him from the confines of the seal but Naruto hadn’t been able to tell if Itachi was alright or not.
When he looked up, his eyes widened at the scenery before him. What was once a well forested area - lush, green and full of life - could now be described as a wasteland. It appeared that he was at the center of a giant crater. The river was gone. In its place was hardened glass, most likely from the sand becoming liquefied as a result of the battle. Other than that, nothing was left but rocks and dirt.
Not even Itachi.
“So you lived?” The familiar deep voice of his lover came from behind him.
Naruto turned around, too quickly, and lost his balance. Strong arms caught him and he was pulled into the elder man’s embrace.
“Yeah and I feel like shit, Bastard.”
“Hn.” Was the expected response as the Uchiha held onto the blond before shoving a set of clothing into Naruto’s arms, “Get dressed. We need to leave.”
“Hm,” Naruto mumbled as he finally looked down at himself.
A bright flush coloured his cheeks when he realized that he was still very naked. Grumbling a few obscenities, Naruto complied and slowly dressed himself. He was completely awestruck at the thought that the Uchiha could still function after fighting what must have one hell of a battle.
“Itachi?” Naruto’s asked quietly, “Are you...okay?”
“I’m fine.”
It was almost instantly that Naruto picked up the obvious smell of blood. Walking up to his captor, he pressed his body against him. Inhaling Itachi’s distinct scent overlaid with the odour of fresh wounds; deep wounds.
“You’re not,” Naruto sighed, somewhat miffed at the blatant falsehood, “There’s no need to lie, Uchiha.”
“I’ve already dealt with my injuries while you were unconscious. It is not necessary to worry.”
“Who said I was worried?” The blond growled out completely missing the small smirk playing on his lover’s lips, “Asshole.”
Naruto tensed when Itachi suddenly leaned onto him. He felt like dead weight as the tired blond attempted to hold him up. Failing miserably, they fell to the ground. Naruto cursed loudly when he discovered that the ever proud Uchiha Itachi had passed out. And another string of fancy words escaped his mouth when he struggled to get out from underneath the heavier man.
There was no way they would be leaving tonight.
It took some time before Naruto was able to manoeuvre himself out from underneath Itachi. His soreness was starting to ebb, but it still hurt to move. Rolling the older man over as carefully as he could, Naruto dug in the pack at Itachi’s side. He silently thanked him for thinking ahead and retrieving the pack the redhead bastard had provided them.
Now he wasn’t sure if he would be able to actually summon anything from the scroll, but, as he looked over at the unconscious Uchiha, he knew he had to. Itachi had said that he had dealt with the wounds already, but Naruto got this feeling that he had not done enough. Which would explain why the man was so incapacitated.
As he searched through the list on the scroll, Naruto hated to admit that he was rather impressed with the amount and variety of items that Keisuke had provided them. He allowed himself a loud scoff before he made some quick hand seals and the first aid articles he needed appeared in front of him. Naruto smiled slightly at the realization that he was standing there very much a part of the living. And he had Itachi to thank for that even if the bastard was the one who forced him into the situation in the first place.
He was alive.
They were alive.
~*~
“Take care, Jiraiya,” Gamabunta said as he disappeared in a cloud of smoke, “Make sure the Brat comes back in one piece.”
The Old Man nodded and thanked the Toad King silently. He turned to the rest of the group who had already begun to check the area out. He wasn’t surprised at the damage done to the forest considering the participants involved. Naruto was never one to leave a battlefield even somewhat intact. The whole place had to be destroyed or ‘it wasn’t a good fight’. Jiraiya was chuckling lightly to himself when a presence to his left indicated he was no longer alone.
“This is not the time to be laughing,” Sasuke hissed angrily.
“Shut it, Boy,” Jiraiya ordered, “He’s not here, is he?”
“No. I’ve located remnants of Itachi’s chakra and a dried pool of his blood but not Naruto’s. There’s no trace of him here at all only an unknown signature.”
“Well, that can’t be right,” the Toad Sannin lifted his chin in thought, “That huge chakra signature could only be his.”
“There is nothing,” Sasuke reiterated. His tone was icy and hard. Their only trail had gone cold and from the looks of it, Naruto was not with Itachi. As well as the fact that the elder Uchiha could already be dead or dying somewhere - and not by Sasuke’s hands.
A shadow fell across Sasuke’s features when it dawned on him.
Failure.
He had failed. Everything - his ambition; his cause - and everyone - Naruto; his family. He had come so close and it just slipped through his grasp. He hadn’t been able to hold on.
There was nothing left.
“Calm down, Sasuke,” Jiraiya’s voice interrupted his train of thought, “There’s no need for that here.”
Sasuke opened his eyes, noticing the blue streaks of electricity crackling in and around him. Chidori Nagashi. He hadn’t even heard it; felt it. Taking a calming breath, the youngest Uchiha disrupted the chakra flow through his body and halted the jutsu.
Shit.
That had been the only time he lost control of it since he had first learned the Nagashi form of Kakashi’s jutsu.
“Sasuke-kun?” He heard Sakura speak, “Are you okay?”
He nodded but did not answer. Sasuke felt Gaara and Sai approach as well. Most likely from the chakra flux.
“Did you two find anything?” He asked, purposely avoiding the subject of himself.
Gaara, surprisingly, spoke first, “No. Only a chakra signature that you identified as Uchiha Itachi and the unidentified one.”
“I’m rather curious about that second, larger chakra we felt two days ago,” Sai thought aloud, “It had Naruto written all over it, but...could it have been altered?”
“His signature could not have possibly changed,” Sakura stated, “Even with the Kyuubi’s chakra, it should have remained specific to Naruto alone.”
“We don’t know that for sure, now do we? Sakura-chan?” Jiraiya grinned.
“No, but, it’s not possible for it to change.”
“Not a lot is known about Jinchuuriki. So we should suspect anything to be possible when it comes to them. We have to look underneath the underneath, right?”
“So are you saying we should consider this unfamiliar chakra signature to be Naruto’s?” She frowned.
Sasuke turned his attention back to the group and waited for an answer from the Toad Sannin.
“We might as well because it’s all we got to go on now.”
“There’s nothing to follow,” Sasuke motioned towards the direction of the dried blood on the ground, “The other signature ends there.”
“Well if Itachi is injured, I’m betting that whoever is with him will have taken him to the next town. It’s north from here, the Hidden Village of the Mist, I believe,” Jiraiya winked at the rest of the team before vanishing.
He chuckled to himself as he sped north, glancing back at the children behind him attempting to catch up.
“Heh. I’ve still got it.”
Previous
~*~*~
boo·mer·ang
-verb (used without an object)
to come back; rebound; bounce back; return
*laughs* This is my sad attempt at defining the meaning to the chapter title. o.O Because it might not have made sense. :P