Naruto Fan Fiction / Naruto Shippuden Fan Fiction ❯ My Big Gay Path Wedding ❯ In Sickness ( Chapter 6 )

Disclaimer: The characters, items, places etc of Naruto are property of Masashi Kishimoto. These objects are used without permission for entertainment only, not for making money. No infringement is intended.

Chapter 6: In Sickness

"Sasuke."

Sasuke awoke to the sound of his name being called, the effort of opening his eyes while tired and suffering a hangover making him irritable immediately. He softened when he realised it was Naruto, sitting over him with an inquisitive smile on his face.

Without a word, the blond burrowed his way into Sasuke's covers without warning, curling up against his side.

Stunned, Sasuke toyed with the idea of kicking him out, but the warmth of his partner's body against his own silenced him. Slowly he circled his arms around Naruto in return, a tiny smile quirking his lips when Naruto sighed happily against his chest.

"Too much alcohol," he scolded lightly.

"Nah," Naruto disagreed. "Go back to sleep, Sasuke."

Sasuke decided against telling him that he had no intentions of doing that, staying where he was and wondering how it was possible to feel so content from such a simple act.

It was Deidara who finally disturbed the slumbering members of the living room, coming in cheerfully at around eight am- late by Deidara standards, and it seemed he intended to make up for it.

"Morning!" He called cheerfully as he whipped the curtains open, seemingly devoid of a hangover. Sasuke mentally cursed him, feeling his own head pounding. "Come on, time to get up!"

"Fuck off," he spat instead. "Let us sleep."

"Aw how cute," Deidara cooed in response, spying the curled up pair. Sasuke scowled darkly at him for his observation. "Who wants breakfast?"

"Not made by you."

"I can pour cereal and make toast, yeah."

"Stop talking about food," Kisame responded from his spot on the sofa, finally joining the conversation with one hand shielding his eyes from the sunlight.

"Itachi said the same," Deidara mused as he practically skipped off to the kitchen.

"Probably because he's nursing a hangover like the rest of us sane people," Sasuke muttered.

"I don't feel too bad," Naruto murmured against Sasuke's chest. Sasuke finally sat up and pushed him away in spite for his comment. Ignoring Naruto's whimper, Sasuke went in search of his elder sibling.

Itachi was still in bed, curled up with a pillow over his head. Sasuke had to smirk at that, leaning against the doorframe. Deidara had also opened the bedroom curtains, which explained Itachi's actions.

"Good morning," he called.

"Is it?" Was the pitiful response he received, which had Sasuke laughing to himself and closing the door behind him. Might as well give him a little more peace before Deidara attempted to drag him out of bed.

The rest of the morning had gone as expected- everyone except Deidara and Naruto had slept most of the day, nursing headaches that lasted for two days.

Itachi swore off of alcohol forever, Kisame laughed at him and Sasuke simply sat in the corner with black coffee and scowled at anyone who came near him. Except Naruto- he got a reprieve, since he was the one bringing the coffee.

Within a couple of days, normality returned. The days moved forward, the weather got hotter and August 3rd approached speedily. The venue was booked, the invites sent out, the reception organised and the wedding colours chosen with the help of Mikoto.

Unsure of what to pick Itachi had simply told her he wanted a muted colour and a bold colour, to represent both he and Deidara. After much deliberation and playing around with paint swatches, they had decided that red and white would be a nice mix.

Mikoto had swung into action, organising balloons and flowers for button holes and favour bags handmade by her- simple silk white squares filled with almonds and tied with striking red ribbon.

Itachi had been glad to leave her to it, concerning himself with finding suits for Deidara and Kisame, along with a red tie for the former and a white for the latter.

He and Sasuke would be wearing kimono, though Sasuke had opted for a plain red one while Itachi's was on the fancy side, patterned in red and white though still managing to maintain a masculine look.

On one particularly scorching afternoon Itachi had ventured into town to pay the deposit on the suits- his parents were paying for the kimono, but Itachi had insisted on getting the suits. Deidara was going to an art exhibition. By all terms it should have been a normal, albeit hot, day.

What wasn't normal was seeing Uchiha Madara's silver BMW pull up alongside him and stop, causing beeps from the car behind for how abrupt it was. Itachi stopped too, staring in disbelief as his uncle climbed across the seat and opened the passenger door.

"Itachi," he greeted. "Could I borrow your phone?"

"Don't you have a phone?" Itachi asked sceptically.

Madara grabbed his arm and physically yanked him into the car, switching the child lock on in the moment Itachi was stunned and holding his hand out as he settled back into his own seat.

"What are you doing?" Itachi asked as he tried the door, frowning when he realised he couldn't open it.

"Phone," Madara replied.

To get it over with Itachi handed over his phone, which Madara put into his pocket before driving off again. Stunned, Itachi opened and closed his mouth as he attempted to work out something to say in response to the sudden, current events.

"What?" He finally articulated, which wasn't very articulate at all.

"We're going for a little talk," Madara told him.

"This is kidnapping."

"Now now, no need for such drama. Kidnapping is something that happens to children and pedigree dogs, not grown men."

Shamed into silence, Itachi stayed quiet. Madara drove him to his home which, much like his home further north, was situated in a quiet cul-de-sac and radiated expense.

It was a small bungalow with a pristine garden, though Itachi didn't see any neighbours behind twitching curtains as he was dragged up the garden path. Perhaps they were too frightened to spy on Madara's business.

Once inside he nearly fell over Miya the cat, who was helpfully asleep right by the front door. She looked at him with eyes that spoke of arrogance and irritation- much like her owner, really- before she sauntered off to find a new spot to sleep in.

"Must you be so rough?" Itachi hissed at Madara as he was herded into a bedroom and roughly shoved inside. Madara locked the door behind them, raising an eyebrow at him.

"I don't care. I want answers out of you."

"Do tell," Itachi remarked, keeping his eyes on Madara as he circled him like a cat circles a mouse.

"I know there's something in the contract," Madara said sharply, indicating some paperwork on the bed. Itachi glanced to it, recognising his own handwriting on it. "I intend to find out what. You gave me that signature too easily, Itachi."

"Can you not accept I simply changed my mind?"

"I could, if I had any reason to believe that to be the truth."

Fast as lightning, Madara was behind Itachi- he barely had a moment to react before he found his legs being kicked out from under him. Whilst he scrambled up from the floor Madara fled, shutting and locking the door behind him.

"Think about your answer," he called through the door as Itachi banged on it angrily. "I'll be back in one hour. Re-read the contract to refresh your memory, and we will talk."

Itachi growled in frustration, still banging sharply on the door. Madara was either ignoring him or no longer present, so with no other options he went and sat on the bed irritably.

Had he been taken by anybody else he would have been worried, but it was Madara. He was family, and he valued his family even if he didn't show it often. Itachi knew his life was safe, which left him with only anger to fall back in the absence of fear.

With little else to do but wait, he flipped through the pages of his contract. He didn't need to refresh his memory- he would spend the hour given to him devising a way to pull the wool over Madara's eyes and walk free once more.

Madara came back exactly an hour later, true to his word. Unfortunately for Itachi he had no idea how to mollify his uncle, since reassuring him he had no intentions of giving up the job when offered on a loophole was likely to be scorned at.

"Ready to talk?" Madara asked, folding his arms and giving Itachi an expectant look.

Itachi stared back at him. When all else fails, resort to an escape plan.

"Sure," he said slowly. "But just let me use the bathroom first."

"So you can attempt to escape? I don't think so."

"Escape? Madara, I know you think life revolves around you, but we are not in a movie. I have no intentions of knocking you out with a well-placed candlestick and escaping through a convenient air duct or such."

Madara didn't look convinced, but he relented and led Itachi from the room regardless. He checked the bathroom window was locked, removed the key and stared at him sceptically before pulling the door closed with a soft click behind him.

Immediately Itachi sprung into action, searching the room for something adequate for his idea. Eventually he settled on a large and heavy bottle of hair conditioner- it wasn't a candlestick, but it would have to do. Steeling himself, he flung the door back open and hit Madara on the back of the head to daze him.

At least, that was the plan. In reality Madara deftly sidestepped, knocking Itachi off balance slightly so he could be easily knocked to the floor. Madara leant down and grabbed the bottle of conditioner, frowning at it.

"A bottle of Luscious Locks conditioner?" He mused. "The only thing you could have chosen that was more useless than this would have been a toothbrush. Itachi, Itachi, Itachi. You're going to make me add assault to this, you know that?"

With those words he promptly exercised said threat, knocking Itachi unconscious in one easy hit.

Itachi awoke with a pounding headache, groaning softly and attempting to sit up. He found himself unable to move much, his hands and legs bound with rope that was also keeping him strapped to the bed.

Not wanting to question why Madara had large amounts of rope so easily accessible, he narrowed his eyes and met Madara's gaze.

"The good guys don't always win," Madara smirked from his perch on the nearby windowsill. "As you said, we are not living a movie. Talk."

"Untie me," Itachi demanded instead, struggling against the rope.

He scowled as he realised this was the second time he had been restrained to a bed, thinking back to when Deidara had 'surprised' him by handcuffing him to theirs. However, this situation was a lot less wanted.

"Not a chance," Madara snapped, moving over to sit on the edge of the bed. "I want to know where your get-out clause is."

"Why does it matter to you so much if there is one?" Itachi asked curiously. "Tell me that much at least."

"Let me tell you a story, Itachi," Madara responded after a few moments of thought "A few years before you were born, I founded my company as you may or may not know. Back then I had the perfect heir."

Itachi couldn't help but be intrigued, nodding for him to continue. Besides, the quicker Story-time With Uncle finished, the quicker he could be released and hopefully go home.

"His name was Izuna, and he was my little brother," Madara confessed. "Unfortunately he passed away. Your father was working with the police at the time and headed the murder investigation, but nothing came of it."

"I couldn't let my brother's passing crush me, so I threw myself into my work and made the company rise to the top of the ranks so I could say to myself I succeeded for him. For Izuna."

"The reason I've been headhunting you is that I know you have the power to continue making it succeed, even when I am no longer here. Your father, too. It was a sensible choice, but I needed you on my side. Do you understand now?"

"I do, but kidnapping and tying me up doesn't make me very sympathetic to your cause."

"It's irrelevant, since I hold the contract that you state has no get-out clause in it for you. The fact that you speak as though you still have a choice in this matter means you were lying about that."

Itachi glared at him sharply, shifting against his restraints once more. "You realise the moment you release me I'm going to call the police?"

"Indeed, and I will explain that you have a grudge against me and you are fabricating stories to get back at me. I'm known to the force as one of their chief benefactors. I give healthy donations. They would believe me over you."

Itachi simply stared at him for a moment before mirth sparkled in his eyes despite the circumstances, and he found himself laughing slightly. "Please. You really are making yourself sound like a movie villain. I suspect when I call the police I'll hear nothing of the sort."

"Yes, yes, whatever you say," Madara said with a sigh. "The point is... You are completely at my whim right now, so don't you think you'd better start talking?"

"I have never been very talkative."

"Cute," Madara sighed. "Humour doesn't suit you."

"Just like humility doesn't suit you."

"Correct, therefore I don't try. Your insolence is beginning to anger me."

"Look," Itachi sighed, realising he was getting nowhere fast. "I'm sorry about your brother, I really am. However I don't want to live my life in your chosen way just because he can't."

Madara contemplated that for a moment. "How about if you were in my position and Sasuke was the one who was dead?"

"Don't say that," Itachi replied sharply.

"Exactly. You don't want to think about that, do you? That your precious little brother could be easily taken away from you. What is it that Sasuke is studying?"

"Biochemistry. Why does it matter?"

"And if he were to die, are you telling me you wouldn't be even the slightest bit interested in attempting to pick up where he left off? To make sure his work could continue on?"

Itachi didn't reply, unable to answer because his reply would have been 'probably'. As it was he was trying rather hard to ignore the sudden images of a world without Sasuke that were flooding his mind.

"Where's the loophole, Itachi?" Madara pressed once more, his tone lower this time. "Tell me so we can amend it, or I offer the promotion to Nagato."

"Won't that be going against your own contract with my father?"

"You don't want to do it- that much is clear," Madara continued. "But you want your father to have the break he desires, so you will do it. Very noble of you, Itachi. You always did seem to be the type for martyrdom."

With that he tore up the contract in his hands, throwing the pieces of paper up in the air like confetti. They rained down around them on the bed while Madara untied the ropes, getting up and opening the door.

"Fine," he said shortly. "You're free to leave. I will be passing the promotion to Nagato."

"But-"

"You had your chance," Madara interrupted. "Now you get to explain to your father why he no longer has the job he expected."

"You realise that by doing that I am no longer bound to your whim either?"

"It's a pity, but yes. I am aware of that. I do intend to rectify that- you have twenty four hours to write me up a new contract for Nagato, that also includes you."

"Why would I do that?" Itachi remarked curtly.

"Because if you don't your father will suffer in his job. I can't fire him, but he will want to leave. I will make certain of it."

Itachi's eyes widened at that. "You spiteful jerk," he hissed. "You'll stop at nothing to get what you wish, will you?"

Madara smirked in response. "I am Uchiha Madara. I always get what I want."

Itachi glared at him, slinking through the bedroom door and out of the house before his uncle could change his mind. His head was still pounding but he managed to get across the street and out of sight before sinking to his knees and clenching his eyes shut in pain.

Madara still had his phone. His car was parked in town over half an hour away. Standing up made him feel nauseous, making him painfully aware that he was probably suffering from mild concussion. So he stayed where he was, eyes shut and on his knees not caring who could see him.

At least that was progress, he thought bitterly. He was looking pretty imperfect right then.

"Are you alright?"

The voice made him jump, glancing up to see a concerned passer-by glancing down at him. The middle aged gentleman had a collie dog on a lead, who was also somehow looking as concerned as an animal could.

"I will be," Itachi reassured him. "Could I please borrow your phone to arrange a lift home?"

Itachi had to give Sasuke his credit. He arrived in one piece, even if he arrived a good ten minutes quicker than Itachi had expected. The Skyline screeched to a halt at his side, Sasuke opening his window and looking at Itachi worriedly.

The man, who had stayed with Itachi, seemed pleased that help had arrived for the 'lovely young man suffering such a terrible migraine'- Itachi hated to lie, but he somehow suspected telling the truth to a stranger wouldn't have been a good idea.

Instead he thanked the man once more, gave the friendly dog a pat on the head and forced himself to get into Sasuke's car.

"What the fuck happened?" Sasuke asked bluntly.

Itachi had been equally blunt in his phone call, simply asking to be picked up and saying he 'wasn't feeling well'. "You look terrible."

"Thank you, dear brother. If you must know, Madara happened."

"Madara?"

"Drive to Dad's work place," Itachi requested. "I'll explain on the way."

He filled Sasuke in with all the relevant details, conveniently leaving out the part where Madara had kidnapped and assaulted him. Sasuke listened, but he frowned when he spotted the hole in the story.

"So why do you look so awful? I know you, and you wouldn't have called me unless you had to. Where's your car? And how did Madara meet up with you? I don't think you willingly went out for coffee."

Itachi sighed, knowing he was going to have to come clean about that portion at least. "Technically he kidnapped me."

"Technically? How do you 'technically' kidnap someone?"

"By grabbing hold of them and physically pulling them into your car, then putting the child lock on so they can't get out again."

Sasuke's eyes widened. "That does sound like kidnap. Here was me thinking you were being dramatic."

"I am not dramatic, Sasuke."

"Could have fooled me sometimes. Speaking of fools, where's Blondie?"

"At an art exhibition."

"Direct me. We're going to get him."

"What? Why?"

"Because you're going to marry him for some reason- he has a right to know what's going on in your life."

"No. I'll tell him later," Itachi promised. "We have to get to Dad before Madara does. I have to explain what's happened to him."

"You still haven't told me why you look-"

"It's just a headache," Itachi finally interjected. "I called you because I needed to get to Dad quickly. That's all."

Sasuke didn't seem convinced, but he didn't argue the point any more. Itachi regarded him with a sidelong glance, Madara's poisonous words coming back to haunt him regarding the death of his sibling.

He couldn't imagine such an event- his mind automatically attempted to close the thought down when it came, yet it left him with a breathless feeling and a tight throat.

"Sasuke?"

"Mm?"

"You..." Itachi paused, shaking his head. "Never mind."

"No, what?"

"Thank you for picking me up," Itachi finished lamely.

He couldn't put what he was thinking into words. Thank you for not being dead? I love you and don't want to imagine life without you because the thought crushes me? He mentally shook them away as best he could, scowling inwardly at Madara for planting such seeds in the first place and thankful that Sasuke had arrived at their father's nearby work place.

Striding through the lobby side by side, Itachi noticed that most of the eyes in the vicinity were on them. It was clear they were Uchihas- their genetics were strong, after all, and they radiated importance just because of their lineage. It helped that Itachi was dressed reasonably smartly, and even Sasuke was managing to pull off looking smart despite wearing jeans.

"We'd like to see Uchiha Fugaku please," he told the receptionist. "Tell him his sons are here to see him and that it is urgent."

"Of course," the lady replied, professionalism lacing her tone as she picked up the phone and dialled an internal number. After a short conversation with someone, presumably their father, she nodded and held a hand out in the direction of the lift. "The eighth floor, room 12."

"Thank you," Itachi nodded, before swiftly making his way out of the limelight. He didn't like so many people observing him- it made his complex creep forward in his mind and especially after his display in the street earlier, he did not need that.

Chapter End