NIGHTMARE

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The thud of hurry footsteps. Next, the door is shoved open by an extremely out-of-breath ANBU. A golden-haired male is sitting interior. He lifts up his eyes from the paper on his desk, knits his browns at his hasty subordinate. "What happen?"

The ANBU seems to be in fright – his face turns so fucking green, which the blond can notice without difficulty and furrows more deeply. A very bad feeling glides past his heart, by the way takes away a beat of it.

The man at the door flinches as if he's finding the way to speak. Subsequently, in a dismayed manner, he starts his words.

"Hokage-sama…"

xXx

It's midnight's time. The sky is pitch dark. But behind the worm-eaten wood door, the dentation room still stays light. Firelight of touches blazes angrily, swirls around like aggressive hands, wanting to grab and crush everything in their reach. There is a man chained inside this room. His head is lifelessly lowering. Dark bangs hang down past his eyes, makes it's impossible to take a look to his whole face. His breath is as light as a feather, so light that if you don't notice, you'll surely think that this man has died. Wounds ooze with blood under his ragged clothes, interlace above the ivory skin. Sweat mingling with crimson liquid drops onto the moist ground.

The others in this room chuckle cruelly. Then, all of a sudden, a basin of ice water slaps in the chained male's face, causing a shudder down the seriously injured body because of the chilliness opposing to the hurt burning in his single fibre of fresh. Wheezing, he tries to move his numb limbs a bit. Tough clinking of chains colliding vibrates in his ears, goes along with a sickly low laugh.

"Still survive? Good!"

Through the corner of his eye, he watches one of those men come close him. Next second, his hair is grabbed and yanked back in a brutal way, forcing him to look up. The night-sky eyes still preserve the intact sharpness, although the tiredness is gleaming in them.

The other's mouth quirks into something like a smirk, big horny hand holds shiny black threads in a vice-like grip.

"That look… Tsk, you are really brave, aren't you?" the man smacks "But don't ever think about escaping here. With that drug you've drunk before, you wont be able to use your chakra, even…" The sentence stops halfway while a half smile slowly crawl onto the man's lips "… you should give up intending activating your powerful Sharingan, Uchiha!"

xXx

Is it still a nightmare or is it really truth?

Though it's been midnight for several hours, Naruto is still staying in his workroom, standing by the large window, staring though it. His long coat, with white and red flame, is handing down, meditatively… Azure orbs remain dormant, totally focus on something but nothing. His face is tight in deep emotion that is unreadable.

An unexpected knock breaks the silence of the room. Not waiting for permission, the door is opened. A black-haired man steps inside.

"It's really late now, you know?"

After this question, heavy quietness lingers in the air. The newcomer shakes his head lightly. This guy hasn't talked since the informing ANBU got out of here this afternoon. He even doesn't show anything on his face, except the obvious panic when he heard the new. His reticence and insensibility makes him wonder if he is too calm or too anxious now.

But, to his surprise, the blond raises his voice without warning. "You're here too, Sai."

The black-haired male blinks, the answer is spoken in a husk, thoughtful voice. He signs "It's my work."

Naruto nods inattentively. Sai observes his friend, as well as his master now, through the refection on the glass window. Darkness from the outside shades his gesture, makes he look more pensive. Sometime, he feels like the loneliness of the Uchiha has infiltrated into Naruto. Sai lets out a long puff through his lips. "Don't worry, he'll be fine, no one could cause him any harm that easily…" he halts a second "Otherwise, the plan has been made, we're securing next early morning…"

The Hokage looks off into another direction, finally takes notice of the other's words. He turns around and leans against the window. Crossing his hands over his chest, he slowly exhales his speech in a low tone. "I promised to protect him."

The latter is rather amazed by the extraneous line. For a moment, he doesn't know how to assure his friend, or just to reply to him. Fortunately, he finds out his voice at last.

"You're doing it well, Naruto. I'm sure Sasuke wont blame you for-"

"He wont never blame me for anything, Sai!" Naruto shakes his head, a self-joking smile tugs at the corner of his mouth. "He's a high and mighty Uchiha, he will never ask anybody for anything…"

At present the brunette really loses his words. Time's flown, Naruto has no longer been an innocent, impenitent boy anymore. Being Hokage, leading a village makes him much more mature than that boy ten years ago – he's a true man now.

The following minutes are quiet, neither of them says a word. Until the blond suddenly breaks the silence: "I'll go with you."

The other widens his eyes, "What?"

"I'll go with you." His voice is matter-of-fact. Sai instantly opens his mouth to protest, but is muzzled quickly.

"You've heard my words in the first place. Don't think that you can make me think again. It's my decision."

Naruto's tone is deep, grim and uncompromising, and the other knows that no matter what he says, it'll be useless.

The young Hokage straightens up, starts to step out the room. When he walks pass his dark-haired friend, he stops his movement, "It's best if they don't lay a finger on him, or I'll make them receive tenfold."

With that, he exits the room, his coat flutters behind him, trying to catch up with him in his flurry.

xXx

"You son of a bitch!"

Harsh insult, with a "pop" of a painful slap, echoes in the air.

Sasuke Uchiha, still being chained, is breathing very lightly, his face hangs down. One of his cheeks is livid, swells. Scarlet blood slips past his lips, drips down his chin. Despite the dull ache on his broken body, he doesn't allow himself to collapse. The man who has spoken to him later is now furiously wiping the spit on his face while ceaselessly cursing. Then, he comes back to the seriously wounded one, grips at his bangs in anger.

"Bitch! How dare you…"

Sasuke says nothing, instead drawing his famous smirk upon his lips.

The man grinds his teeth, this hostage is really pissing him off. No matter how intently being maltreated, he doesn't show any sign of yielding or scare.

He narrows his eyes, wonders how to demolish this person entirely. Then, it appears something dashes through his brain, an insidious half-smile creeps over his face. His look is mocking, just like his voice. "I hear that Konoha's Hokage has special toy of Uchiha clan, doesn't he?"

xXx

The group of ANBU has set off. The difference in this time departure is that their Hokage joins with them. They are running at top speed, like the wind.

Naruto's face is marred with a frown when his heart is lurching violently in his chest. His premonition has touched bottom. Naruto's so tense that it even affects Kyuubi – He can feel Kyuubi's drastic chakra boiling inside him, yowling in need of being satisfied its blood-thirst. The images in his last nightmare loom in his mind. He squeezes his fists, praying in the dark.

"Please, Sasuke, wait for me…"

…

xXx

"I hear that Konoha's Hokage has special toy of Uchiha clan, doesn't he?"

The Uchiha feels a quiver. He glares at the opposite male, who starts to chortle.

"So it's really you, right?" the caddish male hums, his callous hand goes down to grab his hostage's chin, whereas the other hand waves the remaining men in the room dismissing. "Ummm… To tell the truth, you have a gorgeous face! It'll be weird if your Hokage can subdue his lust on you."

Hot glint in Sasuke's eyes shows how much he wants to rip that man's head off his neck. But the man just smacks, smirks morbidly "Let's see how loud can your pretty little mouth can scream."

…

.

…

Sasuke doesn't know how, but one moment he is chained, the next his legs and hands are free, the chains are broken by his opposite enemy. But this liberation isn't a better sign, in fact, it is super worse. Right after his limps have escaped from the metal wire, he is pulled on his enemy's lap whilst his ragged clothes are torn apart without mercy. Coal black eyes widen in shock. He starts to struggle, then desperately finds out all his strength has gone. The scoundrel man chuckles throatily, whispers in his lustful voice.

"Yeah, keep fighting, I like when it's hard. But I think the drug you drank before works really well, right?"

Then, an uncouth hand grabs his wrists in a painful grip whereas blunt teeth plant deeply on the pale shoulder. The raven shivers, feeling his dermis is being rent and his heart is beating like it's going to explode. He grimaces, gnashes his teeth, tries to gather his left will power to force his body to move, to break the fingers are touching him. Suddenly, the Uchiha's breathe hitches, a sound hearing like a hiccup bursts out of his lips meanwhile his resistance immediately dies off. Without warning, something hard and big, roughly stabs into his bottom, shooting a sharp pain up to his nerve, making every cell inside him paralyzed. Sasuke opens his mouth to scream, but nothing comes out. His body is dripping with salty liquid. Sweat slips into his wounds, causing the sting, however, it's nothing to the ache in his buttocks right now.

The harassing man signs in his sick pleasure. He exhales into his prey's ear, his fetid breathe makes Sasuke want to pure. "God, how can a slut like still be so fucking like that? Or is your dear Hokage-sama not virile enough to loosen you, huh?"

Sasuke is shaking slightly, panting hard and his face is flushing because of the unbearable hurt. Yet when he looks at his molester, dark fire of resentment flares in his orbs. For the first time since he felt into the enemy hands, he speaks, his voice is unusually hoarse. "I swear I'll kill you!"

The molester fleers, he lifts Sasuke up until only his tip remained inside, instantly yanked the injured man down, then keeps moving in a rough speed. Sasuke hisses, fighting off the urge to tear his hand from his grasp. Blood begins to flow downs his white thighs, black spots begin to be on his field of vision yet for some reasons, his brain still holds himself awake to suffer this torture. A wheeze escapes his lips. Although he's not a virgin, it hurts like being ripped apart. He is raped and he cant do nothing to stop it, he feels so disgraced, so disgusting. Subsequently, out of nowhere, a sun-kissed handsome face appears in his mind. Sasuke bites his lower lip, hanging his eyelash down tightly. He suddenly misses that face a lot. He wants to see his warm smile, to hear his tender but firm voice. He wants to see his inflection in those pure cobalt pupils. Finally reaching the breaking point, the raven trembles, lets himself sink into the darkness, his lips move quietly to call a familiar name in silence.

Naruto…

…

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1 day ago.

Early morning.

Naruto shifts, his tan lids flutter open. Brand new sunshine dazzles his orbs, hence he turns over in his bed to find a better position to get back to sleep, also looking for his habitual warmth. Sadly, the warmth he's looking for has gone. Nauto halt opens his eyes, signs then unwilling sits up. Leaning against the headboard, he casts his eyes around, wondering where the other is…

"You are awake."

Hearing this voice draws a smile upon his lips. Naruto cocks his head, greeting the owner of this voice. "Goodmorning."

Sasuke approaches the bed. Seeing he has worn his ANBU clothes already, the blond recalls his lover is having a mission today, "When are you leaving?"

"Now." Sasuke answers while sitting down opposite his lover. The blond pouts "Why don't you wake me up? Are you going to leave without kissing me goodbye?"

The raven arches his brows. He smacks at the golden head "Don't act like you are ten years old, it's ridiculous."

Naruto makes a childish face, but a worried and cherishing glint gleams in his look. The dark-haired one blinks, senses the unintelligibility in his state. Yet before he can ask, the other slowly raises his voice "I had a nightmare last night, Sasuke."

Sasuke frowns. "What kind of nightmare?"

"…About you." The blond responds after a second of flinching "So please, be careful…"

The raven gazes at his dearest man, afterwards signs. Since his leaving many years ago, this person now has a type of obsession about losing him. Bringing both his hands to cup the whiskered cheeks, he lifts his face up so the blue can meet the black, "When have you moron been so superstitious like that?" a rare tender smile spreading over his face "Don't worry, I'll be fine."

Sasuke can notice hesitance in the sky-blue orbs, but the latter still nods ands smiles back to him. He doesn't know that his smile only makes the anxiety inside his blond grow bigger. Bending over to peck the other, he stands up, readies to be off "You should get some more sleep, Sakura or Sai will wake you up later-"

His speech is never finished because Naruto abruptly grabs his wrist and pulls him into an unexpected hug from behind. Dark eyes are wide due to surprise. Naruto's soft lips press onto his nape whilst his strong hands wrap around him tightly, as he will disappear if these hands slacken. Naruto whispers lowly, his tone somehow reminds Sasuke about themself ten years ago, at the moment the blond gave him a promise.

"I'll always protect you, Sasuke… I promise!"

…

.

xXx

Sasuke's lids are ajar, only to see the opaque. Everything is hurt, his muscle refuses to move. Respiration is also painful. The air and the ground are cold, contrary to his burning body. The man harassing him has gone after being satisfied so only him in this room now, pitiful as a spoiled doll.

Exhausted, he closes his eyes again, wishes to be back to sleep. He just wants to forget anything has happened to him, as well as hopelessly hopes the first person he sees when he opens his eyes is Naruto.

In haze, he can hear a loud noise and his name is called by a very confidential voice. Unfortunately, he's too fatigued to distinguish between dream and reality. Therefore, Sasuke never sees the terror and anger on Naruto's face when he finds him lifeless and unmoving. He never feels the warmth from the blond when he wraps him in a protective hug. He also never has to witness the way Kyuubi destroys their enemy's nest. It's a long time since Naruto let Kyuubi out, and Kyuubi has never been so frenzied and ruthless like this time before. As expected, the young Hokage of Konoha keeps his promise, he makes their enemy receive tenfold what they have done…

…

.

…

xXx

Sasuke doesn't know how long he has slept, all he knows is that when he's conscious again, he's caressed in comfortable coziness. The smell of bactericide rushes into his nostrils. Long lash shakes, slowly moves. Sun has come out, bathes his room in golden light. Midnight-colored eyes wink to get used to the light. Next second, he notices that he's in a spotlessly white room…

"Hey, sleepyhead…"

Someone is speaking to him, so he turns his head to look over the source of the words. A tan blond is standing next to his bed, smiling sweetly. "Goodmorning baby, how do you feel?"

Sasuke winces, realizes he's very weak now, the dull ache still remain under his skin, moreover a headache is smoldering in his brain, hence he murmurs honestly "Like crap."

Naruto chuckles, bending down to kiss his love's fore "You Bastard, you've scared the shit out of me, you know?"

Sasuke feels relax when the bigger man's lips touch his skin. He looks up to him, queries "How long have I slept?"

"Almost a week. You had a high fever."

The raven understands that was serious.

Naruto sits down on the chair near his bed, gently holds his hand. Pregnant pause breaks through them. Lastly the lying one's question smashes it up "What is in your mind?"

The blond surveys his injured Sasuke. The Uchiha looks even paler and smaller, covered by bandage, not to mention he was… Think to this, Naruto is like firing up. He signs, tighten his grab around the hand he's holding, "I'm sorry…"

"For what?" The other's tone is indifferent as usual.

"For everything…"

"Don't be stupid." Sasuke interrupts "It's not your fault."

Naruto brings the hand in his to his lips, lets them touch it, "I just wish I could come sooner…"

Eyeing his lover, Sasuke signs. "You've saved me already, I'm not dead yet." When the blond is going to protest, the raven doesn't allow it "It's my job, Naruto, I have to live with it!"

"I know that, but you were nearly dead! You don't know when I saw you lie there and broken, how much I did panic! Damn it, it looked exactly as my dream!" sunburnt digits shudder lightly "I promised to protect you, but when you were hurt, I couldn't do anything about it."

An instant of silence before the pure voice dispels it "Dobe, don't say like I'm a princess who couldn't live without her prince's defendant. What you did for me is more meaningful than you could think" Sasuke breaths out, his mouth curls in soft curve, Naruto gives at him a complex look "At the breaking point, I suddenly thought about you. At that moment, I felt miss you so much and deep in my heart, I just wanted to meet you, that the reason why I fought to live until now." Fair fingers return the hold on them. "So stop being silly, you really protected me, Naruto."

Naruto is speechless, he can hear his heartbeat is striking in his ears. Sapphire irises stares at his hand and his lover's, they are knitting together perfectly. Without thinking more, the blond stands up and makes a gentle movement to hug his dearest securely. Sasuke hesitates at first, but gradually, returns the hug anyway.

Naruto inhales the familiar scent, feels his soul calmer. That day maybe will become his nightmare, but he wants that, he doesn't want to forget about it. The moment Sasuke's limp body stayed lifeless and bleeding in his arms will be his obsession, yet he doesn't care. The only thing he cares now is that his dearest is still here with him, alive and arrogant, just as he's always. Naruto knows, perhaps he cant defend the raven entirely, but by one way or another, he'll never let his nightmare come true again.

I'll protect you to the end of my life, I promise!

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~ End ~