Edit: 29/03/2011

StarsOfYaoi: fair warning –this isn't going to be pretty. It might be a bit sick, so thread carefully.

Another one–shot. I know I should be working on my ShikaNaru fic (the one on my other account) as I promised, but… I was in the mood for that instead. Please forgive me!

My mind gave birth to this –it needed something dark, and this came out. Not as in, angsty. Just… dark.

This one–shot is dedicated to my BETA reader, Silence in Nightmares.

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

Rating: M

Summary: (ItaNaru) after three years, Sasuke returns to Konoha, only to find that the worst nightmares are what you once called normality.

Warnings: shounen–ai (male x male) as well as mentions of death characters, and mind problems. Might sound a bit OOC towards Sasuke.

Disclaimer: as I am writing on this site, it means I do not own Naruto. Nice and simple.

"Talking"

'Thinking'

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

Illusions of Nightmares

One-Shot

It wasn't supposed to be like this.

It wasn't supposed to end this way, no matter what he said back then, when he left. He had betrayed everything he owned, betrayed everyone he'd grown to (grudgingly) care for, but this… this wasn't what he wanted.

He'd never ever wanted things to be like this.

After finally ending his 'training' with his master, knowing he could learn nothing more from the Sannin, and that staying there wouldn't bring him anything good, he had left –and here was where he'd thought about going first.

He had repaid his 'sensei' with the same courtesy, by stabbing him in the chest and watching him agonise on the ground, slowly dying in a puddle of his own dirty, disgusting blood, feeling justified for all the years spent with this man that had made him stronger, and afterwards, Konoha had been first in his thoughts.

He'd wished to see it again.

So he had left Otogakure.

Even before seeking revenge, even before allowing himself to think about anything else, he had travelled back to the village that had given birth to him, the village that held so much of his past, a place Sasuke wanted to see, if only briefly, before moving on towards his destiny.

He hadn't expected the sight that greeted him once there.

He hadn't expected anything like that…

…–…–…–…

Yet there it was, right in front of him.

Evanescent like a candlelight in a strong breeze, what was left of Konoha, once a beautiful village thriving with life, was standing in front of him. The place that had once been the strongest of all hidden villages. The place whose name was feared and respected.

The place that had given birth to many strong shinobi, the place he thought of during the long, dark nights when he had rethought his decision to leave.

Konoha was no more.

Burnt down. Gone.

:-:-:

There is nothing to say anymore

When the truth is clear in front of you

:-:-:

Crimson eyes couldn't look away. He stared at the sight, unable to think, only wondering how, why, when…

Who.

The village he had loved so much –the village he had betrayed for his revenge– was no more.

Konoha had been destroyed, shattered until nothing was left, only broken, burnt remains.

The place he had lived for the first twelve years of his life was now ruins, and what lingered on was a deep, deathly silence –the silence of decay. The silence of death.

Nothing could have prepared Sasuke for what he was seeing. No amount of training could ever rid him of his emotions, and it was apparent by the overwhelming, striking sense of loss he experienced as he looked on.

Lost.

Why did he feel so lost? He shouldn't be hurting because, really, he'd left without turning back in pursue of his revenge; without ever thinking about it twice (except during those long, lonely nights), without guilt, without shame.

But right then, staring at what was left of his village, he felt too empty to complain about the past. Too empty to think.

Even in his denial, even after so many years spent away from this place, with only hatred to sustain his tired mind and his tired body, he never once forgot where he belonged to.

Konoha was his home.

Even if he spent years away from that place, he knew that he would eventually be back.

Naruto would be there, too. He would wait for him, as it should, because…

:-:-:

Living in a nightmare

Stepping further into madness

:-:-:

Reality hit him then. Hard.

'It's all… gone'.

Not even his hardened heart could accept this. Not after everything he went through.

This had been his home.

He had planned to return, and he knew –he expected– that everything would be ok again by then; Naruto would smile at him and they would settle comfortably together.

After he had killed his brother, of course –after he had finally completed his plan and extracted his revenge.

He had left because he knew there would be something for him when he finally returned –because he had expected Naruto to be there and provide him an open door even if Sasuke had closed it behind his back when he left.

Sasuke had gone to Orochimaru knowing this, and did it without a second thought simply because of that security. He had given up his friends, the chance of forming a family, his village, everything…

But it had been all fake.

He knew Naruto would never turn his back on him. Naruto would never admit defeat. He would wait for Sasuke to come back.

That was why it hadn't been hard to walk away and give up on things –simply because Naruto would be there, he would keep the door open for him.

The door back home.

:-:-:

It hurts to realise we've lost

more than we have won.

:-:-:

Naruto.

Where was Naruto.

Why was Konoha destroyed?

Where was everyone?

Where was Naruto?

Anxiety filled him. He had never felt this way before, but there again, he had willingly faced everything on his path except this –the sight of his past spread barren in front of him… and he couldn't accept that.

He couldn't believe that!

He ran.

Through the now crumbled wall that once had served as outer protection, down the main street through the remains of his village, searching, seeking, stretching his senses for…

Something.

Fast, heart thumping painfully in his chest, blood rushing to his ears, too stunned to be surprised at how distraught he was –in his mind one sole thought.

Naruto.

Naruto would make everything right, surely.

It hurt.

He had denied any closeness to Konoha before, because it was better that way, concentrating his attention elsewhere, but… but…

But he didn't hate Konoha, just like he did not hate Naruto.

He loved this place. Dearly.

Even for a heartless killer, whose crimson eyes swirled with greed for more power, Konoha would beat for him –Konoha was still part of him.

The Sharingan spinning in his eyes drowned into thick black, and stopped swirling.

He was too shocked to even notice as he kept on advancing.

There was nothing left.

:-:-:

The sound of silence is deafening

My tears are even louder.

:-:-:

The Hokage tower was gone.

Completely gone, until there weren't even ruins in its place.

The mountain, the first thing one could see when approaching the village, was still standing tall and proud, but it was only when Sasuke got close that he noticed how the faces were horribly disfigured; whilst in the distance it wasn't clear, now that he stood so close, he could easily see it.

Shodaime and Nidaime were partially crumbled, their faces almost unrecognizable; Sandaime was almost untouched, as if spared the same horror as the others, but one eye was missing. On the other end, Godaime and Yondaime were totally destroyed, smashed into pieces.

Disrespected. Defiled.

Almost as if a hand filled with hatred had dawned on them.

The village itself wasn't in any better state; the houses were demolished, burned down or crumbling, with very few still standing after such a destruction.

Konoha was gone. Empty. Desolated. Vanquished.

Where were the villagers? The shinobi?

Where was Naruto?

He ran around, searching for anything that could give him an inkling as to what could have happened –why hadn't Orochimaru known of this? Why no word of this had gotten to Otogakure?

No one was there.

Not a single soul…?

'Naruto…'

He wished to see him. he had to see his house, he had to see Naruto.

To know if he was there. To reassure himself that Naruto, at least wasn't–

In the middle of the street, as if mocking him, a figure had appeared from behind a corner.

Blond hair, blue eyes –and he was smiling.

:-:-:

And there it is, the nightmare,

With eyes blind and raw.

:-:-:

"N… Naruto?"

Eyes that were once bright and clear were now dulled over, their shine lost to the world, and blond hair was now dirty and shaggy.

Yet, despite that, a smile was playing on his lips, dazzling and brilliant despite the place where he was standing.

Sasuke was suddenly disconcerted, taken aback by the sight.

There was nothing to smile –why was Naruto smiling?

But oh, the relief in seeing Naruto still alive, still standing–

"So you are finally back," the voice was soft, with traces of warmth. "Welcome home, Sasuke".

The smile stretched upwards even more.

The eyes remained a dull, shady colour.

Such a contrast made Sasuke shiver.

"I've waited so long for you to come back… we all have," Naruto didn't seem aware of what was around him, eyes fixed on Sasuke, who forced himself not to back away. That look… he didn't like it –too hollow, as if there was nothing behind that hollowness.

Wrong

"Naruto… what happened here?" Sasuke refused to admit that there was a light tremble in his voice.

He wasn't scared… was he?

Blue eyes gave away nothing, as nothing was the answer. "Nothing happened, Sasuke… why? Isn't all perfectly fine as it should be? Can't you see it?"

:-:-:

Speaking truth and concealed lies

Hiding the depth of reality

:-:-:

"Naruto! What are you saying? Konoha is… Konoha is no more!" Sasuke felt stupid in saying such an obvious thing, and yet–

Unreal.

The eyes that had once been so full of life were so glazed over, dull and empty… Sasuke could barely look at them…

"What are you saying, Sasuke?" a smile so intense and bright that it hurt. "There is nothing wrong here. It's all exactly as it has always been!"

And then, finally, Sasuke recognised the look in those emotionless eyes.

Shock.

Naruto wasn't there anymore –at least not completely.

"N–Naruto…?" his heart clenched painfully as he murmured his friend's name.

What could have caused such a change in him? Where was the Naruto he knew?

Gently, quietly, Naruto took his hand.

It was warm.

It was real.

And yet Sasuke felt like he was walking through a dream –living a nightmare.

"Come on, the others are waiting," another smile, still as bright, as if Naruto wasn't standing in the middle of a destroyed village, as if everything was ok.

Too shocked to reply, Sasuke allowed Naruto to lead him down the remains of his village, unable to look anywhere but at the blond shinobi.

Because he now knew the truth –those broken pieces would never be fixed again.

:-:-:

Nothing matters anymore,

So keep screaming in denial.

:-:-:

It was almost mocking him, but Sasuke barely registered it.

Naruto's house was still standing.

Tall and proud in the midst of all the ruins, that house was still there, almost intact.

Dazzling.

"Come on in, Sasuke! They are waiting –we've been waiting so long for you to come back," Naruto happily said, barely containing a cheer.

Sasuke froze at these words. Slowly trickling inside him, hope started blossoming in there. Maybe… maybe someone else was alive, maybe someone could finally answer to all the questions he had swirling in his mind.

So he could ask them what had happened.

Naruto pushed the door open and tugged Sasuke inside with him.

Entering the darkened house, a horrible smell assaulted Sasuke's senses, choking him –the intense smell of decomposition. The smell of death.

He didn't back down but followed his once friend through the house, straightening his back, bracing himself for–

But nothing could have been worse than the sight that greeted him in the small room.

Sasuke felt his insides twist painfully, bile rushing up his throat–

Disgust pity hatred anguish– ohGodwhatwasthat–

Too much to take.

Unreal.

Fake.

Oh, God.

Nightmare.

:-:-:

Death is so beautiful in your eyes,

Nothing exists but that.

:-:-:

A table in the middle.

Darkness curling around the corners, sneaking towards the centre, and even Naruto's face was now darkened up, hidden within shadows, blue empty eyes almost glowing in comparison.

And oh God he was still smiling even with that sight even with that smell–

"I brought Sasuke back," he stated, his voice musical with happiness.

And Sasuke could only stare.

Around the table sat three figures.

Unmoving.

Not breathing.

Eyes wide open, glazed over by death.

Bodies slowly rotting right there, already decomposing. The stench was unbearable, strong and intense and overwhelming, and oh, the sight– the sight was even more horrible…

Sasuke stared from one body to the other.

People he had known. People he had spoken with. People he had fought with… people he had respected and accepted and–

People he had betrayed, but never forgotten.

Green lifeless eyes. Pink hair, now caked with blood and filth, was coming down irregularly on the body's shoulders, curling around the cut open neck, mixing with the dried blood there; her lips were parted open in a disfigured smile, and worms were sliding in and out of her mouth, following a light trail of blood and saliva on her chin.

Sasuke's stomach lurched in need to be emptied.

'Oh God oh God oh God–'

A single eye was mockingly fixed on him, the only other Sharingan user on the next chair, and the eye that had once been just like Sasuke's was gone –an empty socket filled with a pale liquid, swarming with insects and larvae. Eating him from the inside, worms crawled all over his once silver hair, now of an unrecognisable colour.

'No… no… no…'

The last figure on the third chair, on the other end of the table, had his face almost completely removed, probably through the use of a kunai, one arm missing completely from shoulder down, half of the chest sliced away rudely, displaying rotten internal organs, now disgustingly brown and grey and green.

Sasuke would have had trouble recognising him, if not for a cut going horizontally through his nose, the only thing still intact of the body.

They were all there, like in a macabre play, unmoving. Decaying.

Horrible, disgusting, shocking.

Death.

"Sakura–chan, Kakashi–sensei, Iruka–sensei! Look! Look!" Naruto smiled and touched Iruka's remaining arm. Some blood stained his fingers, but he didn't react to it.

Almost as if he couldn't see it. As if he couldn't see–

A worm slowly crawled out from a hole in the shoulder, curling around Naruto's thumb.

Naruto smiled down at his sensei.

"Sasuke is back… he's back to stay," he said softly.

:-:-:

Waiting for Death to call on your soul,

Until you fall, you are alone.

:-:-:

"Sasuke–teme, why aren't you saying anything? Come on, they've been dying to see you again…" Naruto's smile twisted, and in the darkness of the room (a darkness that seemed to advance on them, clutching at Sasuke's lungs) it looked almost predatory–like.

Sasuke could barely keep himself standing.

Those eyes…

"You are being mean again, Sasuke… we've been waiting so long… so long…"

Dark, panicked eyes met those blue, dead ones; so empty, so hollow, eyes that couldn't see reality anymore, because he couldn't accept the truth.

Naruto was gone forever.

Sasuke started trembling.

He hadn't meant for anything like this to happen.

He had always thought he'd return to Konoha and Naruto would be there to meet him and welcome him back, and then he could live happily with him, without fear of anything coming between them anymore.

But all of this –not even he could have foreseen such a thing…

The destruction of Konoha… why? How could such a proud village fall without anybody knowing?

And now… and now his Naruto.

Sasuke could not stand this.

The feeling started in his chest, quickly spreading through his body up to his head, threatening to constrict his organs and crush them –he felt like he would explode.

His lungs stopped working –his heart missed a beat, then another…

No. No. Nononononono–

Blue eyes glazed over

The destruction

The nothingness

Corpses slowly rotting away, sitting like a fake happy reunion–

Without looking back, Sasuke ran away.

Not once stopping, not once turning around, not even offering a last glance at the place that had been his, not even once sparing a thought about this place he had called home, where his thoughts resided –his past, his present, his hopes for the future–

He had lost everything.

Forever.

:-:-:

No matter what you wish for,

In the end, there is only defeat.

:-:-:

For a moment, the dark room stilled.

Blue eyes suddenly sparkles with delight as they stared at the retreating form of his once best friend as Sasuke quickly disappeared in the distance, leaving Konoha forever.

Left alone, something had changed –with a flicker of the air, much like a ripple, the corpses on the chair disappeared into nothingness.

The air was suddenly free of the repelling, disgusting stench, and returned to its staleness.

Slowly, a fanged smirk made its way on the blond shinobi's face, and after a couple more seconds, he started laughing.

The laugh felt somehow wrong on the blond, clipped and

Evil.

"You are truly become twisted," a deep voice spoke from the shadows curling in a corner.

Naruto turned around and watched as the shadows receded, and then he was enveloped in a cool embrace, arms wrapped around his torso, his cheek pressed against a toned chest, skin feeling the smooth fabric of the dark cloak the other figure was wearing.

Naruto was still laughing, and the more his body shook in mirth the darker the smirk on his lips turned.

Satisfied, the blond returned the hug, looking up to meet a pair of crimson eyes that were eviler, darker and even more alluring than Sasuke's would ever be.

"I am… and you love to see me like that," he teased.

A deep, hearty laugh joined Naruto's own as the blond moved his fingers through the other man's hair, treading through silky raven locks.

"He was so shocked he couldn't even realise he was caught into a Genjutsu," Naruto mumbled, the laughter finally subsiding.

With a swift motion he leaned upwards, locking lips for a hungry, heated kiss. The older man complied readily, ravishing him on the spot, tongue and teeth and lips.

Blue eyes sparkled with light and life.

"He has always been a foolish person, my little brother," the other man breathed in his ear. "He put his faith and his future in the hands of the one he thought would never change, even after irreparably betraying him…" another kiss, just as fierce and demanding. Tongues battling, bodies intertwining… "Yet just as he realised his love for this place, he'll never know how much you've come to hate it".

Naruto sighed softly, shaking his head.

"This was the best way to shatter him and finally make him feel what he made me feel… his betrayal hurt, and so… did mine".

:-:-:

In this shattered dreamland,

Finally something is clear.

:-:-:

Itachi and Naruto left the old, abandoned house and looked around, the sun shining brightly over the remains of Konoha.

Both stared in satisfaction at the destruction that had happened over a year before by their own hands.

After a long while, Itachi nudged the shorter teen.

"We have to leave now," he stated.

Naruto smiled, all traces of insanity gone from his face. He looked perfectly normal now.

"Of course, I wouldn't want to stay here too much… this stench is making me sick, after all…" his smile suddenly turned into a smirk as a thought occurred to him. "I can't wait to see Sasuke's face when he comes for your life…"

Then, in the blink of an eye, they were gone.

A bird chirped softly in the silence.

:-:-:

The truth is, the real nightmare

Is reality.

:-:-:

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

StarsOfYaoi: damn, I am so sick. Please do comment, though. It'll be entertaining :D