A/N: More questions and some discoveries -pets Sasuke!muse- A zillion thanks to Shadowbright, because she rocks. And muchos love to those who're still with me on this story. Enjoy!

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The Sound of Pain: Chapter 9

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"You will be expected to remain still and relaxed."

No. Not that. Anything but that.

"Now, child, don't be unreasonable. You don't want to leave before we even start the lesson."

It's a dream. Sasuke knows it's a dream. So why can't he wake up?

"Uchiha Sasuke, come down from there."

Sasuke watches himself climb down from the tree. He can see his own Sharingan eyes so determined, so foolishly confident. He wants to open his mouth and scream at himself to run, to get the fuck out of there before that syringe touches you.

But he doesn't listen. Sasuke can remember ignoring that inner voice screaming the warnings. He can remember telling himself that no matter what Orochimaru does, it'll never be enough to break him.

Sasuke watches himself extend an arm for the snake and he knows what's coming. He can't move, it's always like that in the dream. He just watches on, unable to do anything to save himself.

He sees the syringe pierce the tender flesh of Sasuke's forearm and suddenly feels himself sucked into his body, suddenly watching the snake from the floor as his legs fail him. The drug takes over every muscle, coaxing them to stillness. All of the willpower in the world becomes useless. Sasuke can't even lift a finger.

The snake is talking, the words flow over him, transforming his powerlessness to fear.

"I have been waiting for this day, Sasuke-kun. The day when you would be old enough, strong enough, worthy enough."

Sasuke can't tear his eyes from the Sannin. He can see the greed in them, the lust. His body is heating up and the snake's hands are cold as ice. Nails dig into his stomach, tracing possessive patterns over his skin.

"You'll never leave this place, my boy. From the day you stepped into Sound, you were mine."

Sasuke's perfect memory is the worst curse in the world. He can remember every intonation in the snake's voice, the whisper of feelings around him, greed, lust, possessiveness. Sasuke can remember Orochimaru's tongue on his neck, can feel his hands gripping Sasuke's hips tightly enough to leave bruises.He can remember the helplessness, the horror of not even being able to struggle, not even able to say 'no'.

"Can you feel it, Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke remembers with stark clarity the screaming inside his head. He can remember firm, freezing hands grasping onto his limp body and turning him around like some puppet, nose buried in the forest floor. Sasuke remembers being unable to turn his head to the side, he remembers Orochimaru pulling at his hair to help him breathe. He remembers the rough edges of a tree root digging into his stomach. He remembers the humiliation, the fear, the pain, the despair. He remembers every moment. He remembers.

This is no dream.

Sasuke's eyes snap open, his breathing erratic, his throat burning with the urge to scream.

When he feels the weight of Naruto's body beside him, feels the blue eyes fixed on him with concern, can feel the hand gently stroking his hair and hear the murmured reassurances, Sasuke just wants to cry.

Naruto watches him, a dull pain in his stomach. He doesn't know what to say to make the boy forget, doesn't know what he should do with him and how they'll be able to be friends again.

The blond boy keeps whispering gentle words. Things like it's okay, you're safe, I'm not letting you go and I'm sorry.

Sasuke pushes himself away from Naruto, dark eyes suddenly more lucid, awake and wary. "Why won't you let me go?" His voice is shakier than he'd like, but it's close enough to his cold, distant tone.

Naruto smiles like he would to a two year old who just asked why the sky is blue. "You're an utter bastard and all... but you're my best friend. You can't just decide to cut my bonds to you. S'not your choice, y'know? It's mine." And then Naruto sticks out his tongue at Sasuke.

The black-haired boy looks dubiously at his friend, "I'm not the same, Naruto."

"Bah, you're a bigger bastard than Orochimaru, so he can't have changed you that much."

Sasuke stares at Naruto. He blinks twice. Goddamn, Naruto. Sasuke doesn't want to smile. He's not trying to keep his lips from curling up in a grin.

"You're a complete moron."

"And you're a complete bastard."

Shaking his head to himself, Sasuke rubs at his eyes, suddenly afraid that this is just an illusion his taxed brain conjured up. Naruto's complete and blind belief in him is too unlikely to consider.

Sasuke feels more like himself than he has in years and it's all because of a loud-mouth idiot.

A hand cups Sasuke's chin and his eyes are drawn to the other boy's too-blue ones. The touch on his chin is too soft, just as those blue eyes are too old, too wise to belong to that idiot. They make Sasuke feel warm and vulnerable and it just makes him want to hit something. He doesn't though, because he owes this boy so much. He owes Naruto his sanity.

"I don't know what it was like out there, but I'll listen if you wanna tell me. But you're kind of a bastard, as we already covered, so it's okay if you don't talk. I just... I want you to stay... and I wanna know that you care. I want to hear it. S'all I'm gonna ask for now, kay?"

Sasuke can't believe what he's hearing from Naruto. It sounds like him, but not. Naruto has grown. He's grown well, as opposed to Sasuke himself. Even physically, the changes are undeniable. The blond boy is now a blond teenager who is unquestionably more attractive than the last time Sasuke saw him.

Not entirely sure that he should give Naruto what he wants, Sasuke stays silent for a long moment. Of course he cares about the blond. He's tried everything he could think of to get rid of their bond. Even trying to kill Naruto has done nothing, the feeling is still there, strong as ever. If anyone hurt Naruto, Sasuke would kill them. He wouldn't hesitate, wouldn't show pity, he'd just kill them.

But can he really allow himself to feel it? Can he let Naruto know that he cares? Can he give Naruto that much power over him? Sasuke has changed over the years. He's gained experience, he's seen and learned things that no one ever should. He's become accustomed to that constant feeling of fear and horror and pain. He knows in his mind and in his heart that honor is still and will always be a part of him. He knows that compassion is further from him than it was but Tayuya, Bijin, Hikaru... and all those people in Sound... no, Sasuke hasn't yet killed off his ability to feel for others.

He should have, but he can't. He can't help wanting to protect. Uchiha Sasuke can't help feeling chivalrous, how touching. You'll never kill Itachi at this rate.

The striking memory of Itachi's blade burying itself in his stomach and the look on Tayuya's face as he sacrificed his chance to kill his brother to save her make Sasuke's blood boil with the knowledge that he could have had his brother's death. He just didn't hate enough to let Tayuya die.

And you never will. Because you're Sasuke and not Itachi.

That voice sounds like his mother, it sounds like Kakashi and his father and all of his clan's forgiveness. Sasuke can't accept that. Not yet. Itachi must die, I can't...

Sasuke looks at Naruto, who is waiting as patiently as Naruto can wait (which wasn't very patiently at all). The fondness is undeniable. Sasuke has grown strong enough to hold his own against Itachi, even as he kept his honor, kept his humanity. He has grown stronger. He's suffered for it, but maybe, just maybe compassion doesn't hold him back as much as he'd thought...

"You want to know that I care? What if I don't? What if I've changed that much? What then? Will you give up?"

At that, Naruto who rolls his eyes like it's Sasuke who's the idiot. "No, you baka-teme. I know you care, I just wanna hear it. S'not the same."

Sasuke shakes his head and he grabs Naruto's collar, forcing the boy close, noses almost touching, "I don't. I don't care." And he crushes their lips together, proving his words wrong. Yes he cares, yes he loves, but Naruto won't hear it. He'll feel it, but he won't hear it.

As Sasuke explores the dobe's mouth, tasting his warmth and his annoyance, he wonders if Naruto knows that he's just playing with semantics. The hand that cups the back of Sasuke's head and the moan that comes from Naruto's throat tells him...

Of course Naruto knows he's lying.

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Hinata has been running for hours long. Her stamina is completely exhausted, but she won't allow herself to rest. Her byakugan shows that the unknown nin is gaining ground and distance from her and Akamaru, despite the burden of Kiba's limp body. But Hinata figures that whoever this man is, he has to rest some time.

By the time morning comes, Hinata's target still hasn't stopped for a rest and she knows for a fact that she can't go on like this. She doesn't have the stamina to keep going at this speed for another minute, much less an hour. Suddenly, she stumbles on an unseen root and barely catches herself before she falls. Bent over herself, breathing hard and feeling lightheaded with the shocking absence of physical strain, Hinata shuts her eyes. She feels defeated, weak and powerless. "I can't give up on Kiba. I can't stop now." She whispers the words to herself, picturing Naruto's determination. "That's my way of the Ninja."

Brimming with newfound strength, Hinata raises her head, white eyes reflecting the firmness of her resolve. "Byakugan!" Her eyes are starting to hurt from the strain, but she needs to see them. They're three miles ahead still, but Hinata suddenly catches a flicker in the chakra pattern of who she assumes is Kiba, slumped over the larger one. He's waking up. The realization has Hinata smiling with hope and something like pride. Give him hell, Kiba.

As predicted, not one second later, a struggle ensues. Hinata gathers herself and starts to run towards them when she suddenly picks up a chakra presence behind her. It's too close for comfort and it feels potent and dangerous.

Dropping into a crouch, Hinata turns the focus of her byakugan to the intruding presence. She can see the shape of two tall men, one much larger than the other, but with much less vivid chakra. They're too damn close. How could they get so close? I should have seen them before...

Unless this enemy (it feels like an enemy even more than the man ahead) knows of the byakugan's only weakness. But that can't be. They'd have to know that there is a Hyuuga in pursuit and no one knows of the byakugan's blind spot except for the Hyuuga themselves. Could this vivid chakra come from another Hyuuga?

What do they want? Who are they following?

Hinata's mind is filled with such questions, but she doesn't have the time to address them. The duo is getting closer, and they know it. Hinata can see them unsheathing weapons and she can sense malicious intent in the larger form. An intense need to kill. The smaller form is different. Hinata can sense... nothing. Nothing at all coming from him. That in itself is more of a threat than anything else.

Are they after Kiba and that man? Why?

The most important question presents itself... can she hold them back? Should she? Or will they, in all of their aggression, become unwitting allies?

Taking out kunai and wire, Hinata shakes her head to herself. They knew about the byakugan, there's no other explanation as to why they could've gotten so close without her noticing them. They're barely a mile away now. If they knew about the byakugan, then they're expecting to fight a Hyuuga, or at least hoping to get the drop on her.

She can't outrun them in her state. She could try to hide, but they seem to have pinpointed her location too precisely for that. It's like there's something that allows them to track her... or track Kiba. Akamaru's nose is the only reason Hinata hasn't lost his trail yet. Could it be that these two men have something similar?

Shaking her head clear, Hinata makes her decision. Whether they're after her or after Kiba, she can't let them win. She can at least delay them, if nothing else.

Kiba needs you, so be sure to stay alive.

With a deep breath, Hinata prepares a bunshin and leaps up into the nearest tree. If nothing else, she might have the advantage of knowing the terrain. Her shadow won't trick anyone with true power, so she prepares a failsafe trap and focuses her byakugan back to the oncoming attackers.

The large one moves fluidly, confidently and heavily, like his weight is only advantage. She'll have to be wary of his brute strength, but despite the fluidity of his movements, Hinata can immediately sense that she'll be able to gain an advantage through speed. The smaller shape doesn't even seem to move. Even thorough and close watching of his chakra pattern gives away nothing. Not a single hint as to his abilities, his thoughts or his fighting methods. That very blankness feels too familiar for comfort, but Hinata can't quite place the feeling to tell who she's facing.

I can't win against the both of them. I have to split them up.

Hinata's sharp byakugan eyes shift to encompass the full surroundings and she looks for the most strategically defensible spot. There's a river not too far. A cave behind the falls. A cliff with slippery edges. Perfect.

Kneeling to the white dog following her, she whispers, "Akamaru, you need to get back-up, do you understand?" The dog seems to negate her, growling a little under his breath, "Please Akamaru, I need you to protect me that way, okay? Kiba will understand. He's counting on you too."

It takes just a few precious seconds more to convince the animal, but he eventually leaves, leaping from branch to branch. Hinata feels bad for ordering him away from Kiba, but as things stand, she can't afford to have him around.

Despite the exhaustion in her muscles, Hinata runs and leaps gracefully to the river bed, setting up her explosive notes at the critical points. When that's done, she walks to the small crevice behind the harshly falling water and waits.

She's ready to give it all she's got.

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When Kiba wakes, the first thing he's aware of is being carried. And there's nothing that feels right about that, especially with the headache he's sporting. So in light of how wrong it feels to be carried (along with the slight thump-thump-thump that goes with Kiba's head hitting a rather large back) Kiba is very quickly reminded of his position and the circumstances which brought him to said position.

That in mind, it's completely natural for Kiba's first reaction to be slightly aggressive. The first thing he does is twist his body, jerking himself away from the man. Or at least that's what he was hoping for.

Kiba rapidly finds out that it's not going to be as easy as all that to escape the large man. Both his ankles and wrists are tied and Kiba realizes, just as he's pushing away from the man's shoulder, that the contact with the ground will hurt. First of all, they're up in a tree and second, those bonds are laced with chakra. As he finds himself plummeting to the ground, Kiba curses his dumb luck and braces himself for impact.

The man is quick to catch him though. Kiba's barely hit two branches (ow and ow again) before the man grabs a hold of him by the hood of his coat. For a second, Kiba feels like a puppy who got caught by the scruff of his neck. The feeling doesn't sit well with him so he turns to glare at the man, yelling, "What the fuck do you want? You better release me right this second!"

The man curiously cocks his head at Kiba, still holding him in midair. His deep toned voice echoes in the forest despite the softly spoken words, "Or what?"

Kiba growls at the man, baring his teeth in aggression. He twists his body in a useless attempt to do some sort of harm to the man. Moving around like that reminds him of two things. Firstly, he's hanging by the hood of his shirt and it's digging into his neck as he moves around, and secondly, his head hurts like someone had fun jumping on top of it. Which isn't so far from the truth.

In pure fury, Kiba shifts his body just enough to bite into the man's hand. He tastes blood and it makes him smirk proudly. The man reflexively releases his hold on him as his face twists in pain.

Kiba's eyes widen as he once again drops to the ground. Okay. So maybe biting the only thing holding him up wasn't such a good idea.

A branch makes firm contact with Kiba's chest and he gasps with the pain. He's fairly sure he heard something crack. But at least it slowed his fall a little... not enough... Fuck! Did the man have to pick the tallest fucking tree in the forest to drop him from?

Suddenly, Kiba feels himself come to an abrupt halt and this time it's not his hood holding him up. This time, it's a firm hold on his hair that almost tears out every last one of them. "Holy fucking shit goddamn cocksucking son of a bitch!"

Far from having said his peace, Kiba continues to spew out curse after curse even as he's safely brought down to the ground. His head is pounding mercilessly and will someone please stop the spinning?

Once on the floor, Kiba is unceremoniously dropped. He lands harshly and all of a sudden, his stomach decides it's had enough. Before he makes a mess of himself, Kiba turns his head to the ground and he retches up his dinner. Utterly disgusted and dizzy with pain, Kiba nonetheless shoots a murderous glare at his captor. With all the eloquence of a man bound, helpless and still drooling his dinner.

He turns and rolls away from the puddle of liquid he just left behind and breathes slowly for a few seconds. He's a little bit calmer, and he starts to glimpse the fact that struggling against bonds you can't break is a little useless. He's going to need another way out than just brute force.

Damn. Couldn't you have kidnapped Shikamaru or something?

The taste of his own bile lingering in his throat is the first thing on Kiba's mind. Apart from the pounding, ridiculously strong headache...

"Hey, you got any water? I just puked."

The man raises an eyebrow at him.

"I won't bite again." Kiba gives the man his most earnest look, his most innocent face.

The other eyebrow on the man joins the first.

"Fine. Be that way. What the hell do you want from me anyway?"

The man stands and walks close to Kiba. It's the first time the Inuzuka notices just how really big the guy is. He's all muscle. No wonder he hits so hard.

Kiba finds himself easily tugged to a sitting position. The movement isn't caring or anything, but it's not pointlessly brutal. He's surprised to find a water bottle at his lips.

"Drink." The stern word is no more and no less than an order, but it feels strange coming from the man. Kiba can't pin-point exactly why but he's not exactly in a state that makes reflection easy. So he drinks.

"Er, thanks, I guess. Are you gonna be like, 'I'm so mysterious and my mysteriousness is the most important thing to me and you won't ever escape'? 'cause that kinda sucks." The silence that greets him only spurs on Kiba. If anything, he can annoy the man into letting him go... or gag him, whichever comes first.

"So what do I call you, oh Kidnapping Murderer of Almighty Silence?"

"I did not kill them." The man's response has Kiba blinking. But then the grief returns and he growls at the man, "Why the hell should I believe you?"

"You may call me Ren. And I did not kill them. There was no need."

Kiba remains silent at that, for once. For some reason he can't explain, he feels compelled to believe the man. That doesn't mean he's all ready to cooperate with whatever bullshit the guy wants.

"So what do you want from me?"

"Now is not the time. Danger is coming." It seems just an echo to the man's words when Kiba hears the explosion in the distance. It makes his instincts scream with the need to fight. Do something about it.

But the man won't let anything like that happen. He picks up Kiba like he's a bag of potatoes and shoulders him like one. "Don't struggle. I am saving your life."

Somehow, that sounds like truth. Kiba shuts his eyes and prays to any power listening to him that no one from Konoha was at that blast site.

tbc...

Forget not to review for it makes me happy. A happy Gokkayu is a productive one. -wink-

Some replies:

Jamisen: Lol! I've rarely had such an enjoyable review! Thanks! And keep reading, heh?

Luna-Lunak: You like Ren! Yay! Means I didn't completely screw up. -g- I'm glad you hopped on this story too, I'm very proud of it. You rock for guessing right!

nyeh: Is Sasuke the Uke? -g- I don't think he's strong enough, emotionally, to pull it off. I hope I made up for neglecting Kiba in this chapter!

dark-wolf-soulX: Wow. That was really great for me to read, thank you. I'm flattered and very happy I could pull you into my world. (The more, the merrier!) As to the little girl... all the answers are in the next chapter... I promise! Again, thank you. Keep reading!

Doomforyou: Kickassity? Whoot! Can you explain to me what you meant by 'little late' though? I'm curious. (And a little crazy, but that's nothing new.) -blows kiss-

Jenanien: You don't love me that way? b..but... oh fine. -pout- I hope you liked this bit too, with the SasuNaru. And I hope I won't make you cry! Little blond girl is explained in Next Chapter... promise!

Lapse - Raevn: Yeah... Sasuke would make a terrible Uke for that reason, methinks. Too many weak points to permit himself another. Neji had a reason to be talking about ghosts before meeting the little girl... but it's not what you think! -teases-

XxHunter The One and OnlyxX: Hey! Welcome back! Glad the bills didn't eat you! -blows kisses-

TheSunshineGirls: Short and to the point. -loves-

Shadowbright: I love you. But you know that. -pokes- I still expect reviews, y'know! I'm just THAT demanding. -g-