Chapter 3

AN: I give you chapter 3 .. Love me or hate me :P . Your choice :)

Chapter 3

It took nearly four days before anything fell into place for Sasuke . From the start , luck had seemingly gone against him. The men who'd kidnapped the blond joined up with a caravan heading north. Then they'd crossed the channel , and traveled toward Sound Country.

Sasuke had sent two of his men ahead, to ferret out what they could.The kidnapping of Kakashi's carrier brother was a daring act. One that would set the tongues of rumor and gossipmongers wagging at a furious pace. He wanted to know what word was being bandied about.

Then, with little more than the blink of one eye, the Almighty Something above saw fit to be kind- an occurrence that did not happen much of late.Sasuke wiped the smirk from his face before rejoining the circle of men.

For the first time in months he felt that luck was on his side- he could feel it pulse through his veins like warm honey, and could taste its sweetness.

The men gathered in a circle diced for a rare prize – one that would be his. A prize that would gain him the opportunity to make Demon Kakashi experience just a measure of the revenge due him.

Kakashi thought he could destroy Hebigakure without suffering the consequences . The coward and his men had attacked while Sasuke was attending to lord Orochimaru in Oto. He'd returned to his demesne lands to find his keep in ruins , his crops destroyed , seven villagers dead and his men gone.

War was war , and while Kakashi may have been the victor on that particular day , he would soon taste defeat. In the end , Sasuke would prove victorious.

Just this morning his men had brought word of a rumor from Juugo , a nukenin.The bank of rogue , propably chunin who had kidnapped the blond held him outside Nodagakure.

After lightenning his purse of coin to grease a few palms , Sasuke discovered the merit behind Juugo's tip. He'd learned the kidnappers were horrified to discover who they'd taken. Too afraid to demand ransom, they left Fire Country and crossed the channel into Sound . Perhaps they weren't complete idiots- they'd immediately realized that Kakashi would kill them in lieu of paying ransom.

To relieve themselves of what they now deemed an unprofitable burden, the kidnappers were going to offer him as a prize in a game of chance. A prize Sasuke would gladly accept.

The game was to take place this day. He'd made certaint to be at the prearranged site early.He would not chance missing this blessed opportunity.

" Your toss."

He took the pair of dice and warmed them in his hand. It all came down to this final toss. Silence fell heavy upon the circle. He could nearly hear the thrumming of pounding hearts as the others watched... and waited.

He shook the dice, willing the smooth carved bones to do his bidding one more time, then released them into the circle.

A lifetime passed before his mind's eye as the dice tumbled and rolled across the crude circle etched into uneven dirt, before coming to a rocking stop.

All of the other men shouted – most in despair for their own loss ( afterr all carrires were rare) , others in congratulation to Uchiha.

He rose , accepting the hearty congratulations in silence. But inwardly his shouts of victory bounced inside his chest.A toss of the dice not only won him the prize he sought, it saved him from ordering his men to make the whole affair bloody.

The man in charge of the game waved morosely toward a grey tent. " You're prize is in there.Do take care."

Before the man finished speaking, Sasuke had crossed half the distance to the tent pitched at the edge of the clearing. He paused for a moment , savoring his win and the taste of long-awaited revenge, before stepping through the flap.

A small metal brazier dimly lit the inside of the tent , chasing away the shadowed darkness and illuminating his winnings in the far corner of the tent.

And he felt the air being knocked out from his lungs.

Even bedraggled and dirt-streaked , the blond made him wish circumstances were different. As proud and regal looking as his brothers , he was taller than most women, but taking the height of his siblings into consideration, his family most likely found his stature unremarkable.

The sudden desire to see those long limbs stripped bare for his perusal made his heart pound erratically in his chest.

A happening he was certain his intended would not find acceptable in the least.

He'd only been in Karin's company a few short days, but he'd seen her temper flare often enough to know she'd not take kindly to the thoughts running through his mind over another .In this case a carrier.To calm his racing pulse , Sasuke lifted his gaze to the blonds face.

But starring into his brilliant blue eyes did little to ease his growing discomfort.By the Kages above, what was wrong with him? Not only was he sworn to another , this boy with whiskers marks on his cheeks was his enemy's brother.

Yet, he was guiltless. His revenge was not directed toward the blond, nor should it be. He was simply a means to an end, an unwitting pawn in a game not of his choosing.

He approached the boy slowly, wishing not to cause him more fright than what he must already have suffered. Carrier's were said to be as delicate as a woman.

Naruto kept his unwavering attention on this new stranger as he took a long , steady breath, then turned sideways, making his body a smaller target by puttimg his left shoulder toward the man.

With a great deal of anger toward himself and the men who'd taken him from Konoha, he'd already accepted the fact that he might not survive this twist of fate. But he'd not breath his last without putting his brothers' lessons to good use. If this man moving steadily toward him thought to attack him and come away unscathed , he was in for quite a surprise.

Naruto tightened his grasp on the knife he kept hidden in the sash of his torn and dirty tunic. While the small blade might not kill him, Naruto hoped he'd be tacken aback by his action long enough to give him time to escape.

His kidnappers had been carefull so far. They'd disarmed him the first day.But this morning,when one of them had brought him food,their carefulness had gone astray.A small eating knife had been left behind.

The man took another step closer. By shifting his weight back to his right foot, Nauto would be in the correct stance for a quick lunge.Naruto extended his left hand, palm out as if to ward him off. " Stop. Come no closer."

Sasuke eyebrows rose. Nearly disappering beneath his long dark bangs.But he stopped and stared at Naruto a moment before saying, " Fear not Naruto of Jinchuriki clan , I seek only to make certain you have suffered no harm before returning you to your brother."

Such concern from a stranger suprised Naruto. Raven's voice floated across his ears as smooth and steady as a calm summer breeze. Naruto tightened his suddenly lax grip on the knife. " We are not acquainted, who are you?"

Naruto stole another glance at his rescuer- if that's what he truly was. The stomach-clenching fear he'd experienced over and over the last few days returned full force. He'd said he posed no threat.Could he believe him? While he didn't appear as ruthless as the men who'd orginally captured him, he was still a stranger. A stranger whose unwarranted familiarity sent a sharp stab of warning to his very bones.

With a brief half bow, accompanied by a well trained ( propably)devastating smile, he introduced himself. " Uchiha Sasuke at your service."

His name made something in the back of Naruto's mind twitch. Thankfully, that odd twitch prevented Uchiha's flashing smile from taking his breath away.

" Uchiha...Uchiha...I know that name."

A dark frown replaced Sasuke's smile. Instead of explaining why Naruto might have heared his name before , he stepped within reach." We must leave here quickly."

Something was dreadfully wrong. Naruto tensed his muscles in preparation to defend himselfif need be. While he'd done nothing so far to cause him harm, Naruto had no reason to trust him any more than he did those who'd taken him in the first place.

He nodded down toward his tattered tunic." I, too, would like to leave this place – for good reason. Pray tell, what is tour haste, sir ?"

" I would hate to lose my winnings so soon." Sasuke glanced over his shoulder toward the tent flap before adding, " Unless of course you would prefer their company to mine."

Naruto did his best not to gape.

"Winnings?"He quickly surveyed the tent before narrowing his eyes at the raven." I see no bags of gold or other riches."

Without a trace of humor on his face or in his voice , Sasuke cleared his confusion. " You were the prize."

Naruto blinked, certain he'd not heared him correctly . " I am the prize? You won me?"

" Yes. In a game of dice."

"A game of dice." Naruto couldn't decide if he wanted to laugh or cry. He'd been offered up like a cache of gold , or a piece of horseflesh.

Obviously hoping to catch him off guard , Sasuke moved a hair breadth closer.Naruto shook his head." No. Stay where you are." He only shrugged before moving back.

"So, instead of seeking ransom,these imbeciles took it into their lack-witted minds to offer me up in a game of chance?"

"It is likely they wanted someone of less importance than Demon Kakashi's carrier brother and feared demanding ransom from him."

Naruto chewed on his lower lip. And who was the bigger imbecile?" They learned that bit of information from me."

Sasuke smirked, then said, " Perhaps your most unwise move."

"Debatable." A flush of embarrassment at the lack of decorum responsible for his being in this position in the first place heated his cheeks. He admitted, " I am fairly certain that cavorting about the village,at night, without an escort could be considered my most unwise move."

"Hn. Have your brothers lost their senses?"

" They are not to blame. I took advantage of an overcrowded keep to slip away unseen."

At that, he smirked again." Quite the handful to control, are you dobe?"

His question, asked in a tone one would use with someone much younger than Naruto,nicked at his pride. He lifted his chin a notch before seeking to set him right." I am not a child to be controlled by my family.Bastard."

Sasuke met his stare for a moment before letting it trail pointedly down the length of his body. His eyes shimmered and a soft half smile played at his lips as he drew his gaze ever so slowly back up to Naruto's." No, Naruto,you are no child."

The growing hunger in his eyes sent Naruto's heart stuttering madly in his chest. Good Lord above, what had he done?

He really was an idiot.

Silence fell heavily inside the tent.The walls seemed to inch closer , suffocating him. He licked his suddenly dry lips. Sasuke's sharp intake of air echoed in the confined space.

To Naruto's amazement and dismay his body reacted not with fear, but with anticipation. It was apparent, to his body at least, that this man, this tall dark stranger could fulfill the longing that'd battered at him day and night for countless months.

When he'd gone looking for excitment to quench his frustration, this is what he'd been seeking- but not in this manner.

Not as a prisoner needing rescue.

And most certainly not as a prize offered in a game of dice.

Naruto wanted to step back, to move away from the desire wafting from the Uchiha, beckoning him to surrender to his own hunger.He needed to run before he did something extreamly unwise- like bolt into the raven's arms.

Voices from outside the tent distracted Naruto. Sasuke lunged and Naruto instinctively threw his weight forward, while at the same time swinging his right hand , blade extended.

Sasuke saw the knife coming and twisted his body just enough to catch the blade on his side, not directly into his stomach.

Afterb knocking the knife from the blonds grip, he jerked him against his chest with one hand, threaded the fingers of his other hand through the hair at the back of his head and ordered against his lax lips, " Fight me, usuratonkachi."

When Naruto did nothing except stare blankly at him in shock , he slid his hand down smaller mans back, cupped the soft roundness below and brought him roughly against his groin.

" If you wish to leave here in one piece, fight me, Naruto."

Once Naruto started struggling in his arms, Sasuke swung him around so he could face the intruder who'd entered the tent. Just before lifting his mouth from Naruto's, he whispered, " Scream."

He glared over Naruto's shoulder at the man standing before the tent flap." Something you want?" He curled his lips , hoping the man took it as a feral snarl and not a grimace of pain.

" Let me go!" Naruto shouted. " Release me!"

The man laughed. " Nothing. I only wished to make certain you were enjoying your prize."

Naruto gasped and strenghtened his struggles.

Sasuke hung on to him, laughing harshly. " I was ,until you interrupted me."

The man tipped his head and before leaving said, " Forgive me. I leave you to your fun."

"Fun?" Naruto's voice rose." Kakashi will see you all dead!"

Once Sasuke was certain the man was truly gone , he released Naruto.

" You bastard!" Naruto swung an open palm at his face striking him against the cheek.

Sasuke ignored his stinging face and grabbed his wrist." Try anything that stupid again and you will regret it."

" Me?" Anger suffused Naruto's face with a deep blush.He bent over and picked up the small eating knife, then pointed it at the other man." If you touch me again, I will kill you."

When Sasuke had mulled over all the difficulties that could occur with this plan, he'd not expected the carrier to pose a problem. As brash and bold as his brothers, Naruto could end up being his biggest difficulty- unless he could quickly gain the upper hand.

Sasuke grasped Naruto's wrist and shook it until he droped the knife. The small but lethal weapon thudded onto the dirt floor of the tent. He tride to intimidate the blond with a glare and suddenly wished that he were a bit shorter.He gritted his teeth against the pain in his side, then said ,"The next time you seek to kill me, I suggest you complete the task."

"Or you'll do what?"

By the Kages above, what would he do? He furrowed his brows as he tugged the blond closer." I could kiss you into submission." He paused , giving the light in Naruto's eyes time to go from shock to outrage before adding, " Perhaps it would be safer for both of us if I were to simply truss you like a stag."

" You would not dare." He tried backing away.

A sleeve of his tunic hung in tatters.While securing the blond with one hand , Sasuke tore a strip of fabric free, wrapped it around blondes wrists, then tied it off and smirked." I would dare much more, but this will suffuce-for now."

Naruto starred at his wrists as if trying to make sense of what had just happened.He twisted his hands to no avail, succeeding only in chaffing his flesh. Then he tried plucking at the bindings with his teeth. Again,his efforts were futile.

Finally,he hung his headand held out his arms.

" Please, I will cease tormenting you, if you will free my hands."

Sasuke wanted to believe him, but he had an inkling the dobe was simply lying to get his own way. The sound of booted feet walking by the tent quickly made him choose. He took his kunai and slid the shiny blade through the cloth. " I cannot help but wonder what this stupidity will cost me."

As soon as he was free , Naruto tried shoving him away. It was comforting to know his suspicions were still functioning well. Naruto pushed at him again , catching his wound with the heel of his palm. He gasped at the sharp jab of pain.

Naruto stepped back and stared at him for a heartbeat before nearly crying," Oh,bastard, you are bleeding."

" For the life of me I can hardly imagine why." Sarcasm was not his usual way of dealing with inane comments of the obvious, but there was nothing usual about this day thus far.

" That is where I stabbed you."

He quelled the urge to nod in agreement and at the same time swallowed his retort. Instead of making Naruto appear the fool, he pointed at a jug by the cot." What is in there?"

Naruto crossed the floor and retrieved the jug. " This is the most untasty sake to ever exist, but it will serve the purpose." Onthe way back , he picked up the eating knife from the floor. At Sasuke's lous sigh, he quickly assured him," To cut bindings from my tunic." Once Naruto returned to his side , the blonde pushed his cloak from his shoulders.

"Undress"

" Such an inviting offer, dobe." Sasuke took the knife and jug from Naruto's hands. " After you."

END Chapter 3

AN: I did promise you some blood in this chapter...I hope that you also liked this chapter 

Like always waiting for you're opinions 