Title: Protect Me from What I Want
Author: Sintari
Rating & Warnings (all chapters): R; Uchihacest, dark, angst, yaoi, lemon, slight BDSM, blood
Pairings: ItaSasu, references to past OroSasu, any others t.b.a
Spoilers: Up to Issue #238 – the rest is the speculation of my warped imagination. I've also given Orochimaru the use of his arms.
Disclaimer: Is Itachi in every chapter and episode? No? Then I don't own Naruto.
Chapter 2 – Playing With Fire
Itachi wished he had thought to check the town for a more suitable whore before Sunetra and Kabuto had completed the seal that left them all trapped in Shimoda. Kenji was the right age – young - but he was much too tall. And with dark blonde hair, sun browned skin and hazel eyes, his coloring was the total opposite of the pale, dark haired, dark eyed boys Itachi usually preferred. Still - Itachi glanced lazily down at the tousled head bobbing in his lap – this one's technique was exemplary. Probably the result of being the only male whore in Shimoda.
Stroking Kenji's earlobe between his thumb and forefinger, Itachi thought back to the negotiations earlier that morning. Orochimaru drove a hard bargain, but so did Honori. No matter that all the cards seemed to be on their side of the table, Orochimaru was still refusing to resurrect the dead woman. Itachi and Kisame both agreed that he had some sort of ace in the hole.
Right before the day's negations had concluded, when they had all already stood up to leave, Honori had asked Orochimaru, "What exactly is it that you plan to do with Uchiha Sasuke?"
Itachi had ignored the veiled glances thrown his way at that question. No expression showed on face, but he was surprised that Honori had asked. Of course, any tidbit of information that Orochimaru might reveal at this crucial juncture could potentially provide them the opening they needed.
Orochimaru had just smirked at that. His trademark pallor seemed at odds on the spiky blond haired, powerfully built form he now possessed and Itachi realized with a start that Sasuke's own body would not have to change much at all to accommodate the Sound Leader's essence.
"I'll have him," Orochimaru had answered, though only after allowing a long moment to pass. His eyes had cut to Itachi before he continued. "I will have Sasuke-kun in every way possible. Mind…" His elongated tongue stretched out and sinuously lapped across his top lip. "Body…" the word dripped with venom. "And soul." With that, the amused sparkle in Orochimaru's dark eyes disappeared like the sun dipping below the horizon.
At that memory, Itachi realized that his hand was fisted in hair – hair of the wrong color – hard enough to pull a few strands out by the roots and that Kenji had stopped all motion. Flexing both hands, Itachi took a deep breath and then relaxed back against the headboard.
From a ramen stand across the street, Sasuke watched his brother leave the brothel with the same whore for the third evening in a row. He was in the process of formulating a plan in his mind when one of Orochimaru's lackeys approached, placing a hand on his shoulder near the curse seal. This was a little game they played. The other Sound ninjas pretended to defer to Sasuke and Sasuke pretended that he didn't fantasize about killing them in their sleep.
"He wants you, Sasuke-sama."
With a disgruntled snort, Sasuke turned on his heel and followed in his brother's tracks to the inn where all the negotiators had taken rooms. Needless to say, it was the only inn in town. This fact had made for some awkward confrontations in the halls but so far the "no fighting, no killing" rule had been strictly obeyed. Still Sasuke avoided the common room and the possibility of running into an Akatsuki by concentrating some chakra in his legs and leaping to Orochimaru's second floor balcony.
Orochimaru did not appear at all perturbed when Sasuke entered from an unexpected direction. There were no suites at the inn, but his Master had somehow managed to decorate his small room in imperial fashion. Sasuke imagined the lackeys scurrying all over the town procuring the lacquered table and the various calligraphy wall hangings. He looked around suspiciously, not using any pretense to hide the fact that he was looking for unusual bulges behind the curtains. Satisfied, he sat down on a cushion across the table from Orochimaru.
"Dine with me tonight, Sasuke-kun?" His Master hadn't waited. He was already worrying at some bits of boiled fish with his chopsticks.
"No, thank you. I've eaten," he replied blandly.
Orochimaru's chopsticks stopped in mid-twirl and a slow smile formed on his lips. Reaching one hand across the table to where Sasuke's forearms rested, he ran two fingers slowly down the inside of Sasuke's left wrist. "Come to bed," he said, enough like a question that they could both pretend it was a request.
The first time Orochimaru had laid hands on him, Sasuke had frozen. He had not drawn on his formidable ninjutsu skill, nor had he thought to try and run away. Even if he had not been paralyzed with fear, he would not have dared. He had laid perfectly still, hands by his sides and stared at the juncture where the wall of his room met the ceiling. And as it turned out, his chilly stillness had been enough to cool the Sound leader's ardor.
During the next few weeks, Orochimaru could not find the time to teach him the special jutsu that might possibly counter the Mangekyou Sharingan.
And in those long nights, Sasuke had frozen up, still as a statue again when Orochimaru came to him.
As the weeks passed, Orochimaru did not train him, and Sasuke did not respond to the touch of cold hands. And one morning, while counting the kunais in his pouch, Sasuke found that he was unable to conjure up the image of his mother's face.
The next night that Orochimaru darkened the doorway of his room Sasuke, from his position on this side facing away from the door, had said quietly "If you teach me the Mangekyou Sharingan counters I'll fuck you and make you believe it."
That night long-fingered hands trailed down his bare flanks and unbidden tears squeezed from the corners of Sasuke's eyes.
Orochimaru finally took him, and glass shattered somewhere behind Sasuke's ribs.
Later, lying alone, sore and shivering beneath the blankets, Sasuke's befuddled mind could only grasp onto one thought. Now he possessed enough hatred.
Hair still damp from a romp in the springs, Sasuke waited to return to the common room until he was sure that most people in the village would be asleep. When they were children, his brother had rarely slept. Before that day it had been a comforting feeling knowing that his niisan was awake and ready to keep the monsters at bay. He mentally scoffed at that younger, trusting Sasuke. That child was dead. Strip this mortal shell of its flesh and bone and all you would find now was the soul of an avenger.
An avenger who was currently being trailed by Itachi's pretty whore. The boy had been confused when Sasuke paid the price for a whole day and night, but hadn't yet touched him. Out of sheer bewilderment, he had slipped his hand between Sasuke's thighs as they sat in the hot spring. But Sasuke only responded to the questioning touch by gingerly removing the offending limb.
"When are we…?" Kenji had asked timidly.
Sasuke had been leaning back against the tub's edge, eyes closed to the steam.
The prostitute had thought he could see Sasuke's eyes cut toward him, even under the closed lids. "Tonight," he had said, soft enough that Kenji had to lean toward him through the steam. "After everyone is asleep."
Now everyone was asleep. Sasuke had brought Kenji to his private room and told him to rest. So far this had been the easiest money he had ever made. And he had been taught to fear easy money. Sasuke made him nervous, pacing around the room while the prostitute dozed fitfully. When Sasuke woke him with a nudge of his foot, Kenji noted that the sky was dyed the purple black of early dawn.
And Sasuke looked different. The drab over shirt and white shorts had been replaced with a cut-up mesh shirt, and skintight black fatigues slung low on his hips. A black bracelet, more like a long leather cord, criss-crossed its way up one slender arm, taking the place of the bandages that Sasuke usually wore there. He could also have sworn that Sasuke's eyes appeared larger and blacker than before. Was it eyeliner?
"Now?" Kenji asked and Sasuke merely nodded then stepped away from the futon, just beyond the lamplight.
"How… how do you want it?" he ventured. Sasuke's strange silence was beginning to make him nervous. Itachi was a man of few words as well, but at least he always made sure Kenji knew what he wanted. One way or another.
"Come on," Sasuke jerked his head toward the door and padded out into the hall. For the first time, Kenji noticed that his patron was barefoot. Stretching, he adjusted his own scant clothing and followed.
Kenji's eyes widened a bit when Sasuke stopped before a door that he knew well. Itachi's door. But Sasuke did not knock or try the knob. He merely stood in front of it for a long instant and then continued down the hall to the inn's common room. Predictably, for this late hour, the room was entirely empty. The fire had burned down to a mere glow, casting the already dreary room in shadow, and Sasuke threw another log on, jostling it pensively with a poker until the flames began to lick at the wood.
Several worn chairs and couches were grouped around the fireplace, their faded beauty just another testament to the town's former grandeur. Kenji, unsure, hovered beside one of the couches, wondering for the thousandth time that day why Sasuke had bought him. If rumors were to be trusted, the boy was his own age, and it was obvious that he was marred with none of the imperfections or awkwardness of adolescence. Kenji's practiced eye had noted the way men and women appraised the dark-haired boy out of the corner of their eyes or over their sake cups. And now, with half of his face wreathed in firelight and half in shadow, he was absolutely breathtaking. He did not realize he was staring until one glittering eye – the one in shadow – met his own.
"These men pay good money to fuck you, don't they?" The voice was the same, bland, bored, even though this was the first question Sasuke had asked him all day.
Kenji found that he could only nod. Sasuke's eyes scanned up and down his body and suddenly the young prostitute found that he was clutching the back of the couch to support his watery knees.
"Do you ever get to fuck them?"
Brows furrowing, Kenji shook his head.
Sasuke finally turned away from the fire, and began to saunter toward him, their eyes locked. This was the way the rabbit must feel beneath the paralyzing gaze of the snake. Except Kenji was pretty sure the cornered rabbit would be so turned on.
Sasuke had closed the distance between them now. Their faces were inches apart, though their bodies did not touch. Kenji felt his eyes drawn to the full pink lips, dazedly watching them form the carefully articulated words, "Do you want to fuck me?"
A/N: I apologize that this chapter is so short. With the lemon cut out, it's less than half its original length. I really recommend that you follow the links in my profile to read the lemon. It truly is integral the plot. (Not to mention, Itachi shows up…) Reviews are always sincerely appreciated.