Summary:This is an Itachi death fic. It centers on the relationship between brothers, unkind truths and choices our values force us to make. It has humor, but in essence it is NOT a happy story. In the end, I hope to touch on what can be learned through death, pain, loss, and suffering. There are no pairings.

This is rated Teen for violence, language and moral content.

Warning: A bit of language and some more violence... As if I need to warn you of this again.

Special thanks to me for realizing I hadn't lost THIS piece of it...

At Gun Point Part 29
By Aster Uchiha

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His back hit the wall and Deidara threw the seeping heart away before pulling himself back to his feet. Immediately his mind had begun dissecting Kakuzu's words. 'You got one. Congrats…' The blonde scowled watching him approach. 'I think it's safe to assume he was referring the heart… He's still walking… That means he has multiple hearts… But… How many?' The question was disturbing, and the answer meaningful to the fight. 'There's only one way to find out… Take 'em out one by one I guess…'

He wiped his hand on the wall, smearing away blood. Timing was everything, he still needed to get to the armory. A few steps closer would be the prime moment to dash past the other.

"You look a bit frightened…" Kakuzu commented. "How unusual."

Deidara smirked. "Really? Well, I guess you had to trade something to become a fucked up frankenstein… Was it your eyesight?" Malice flared in the other and the blonde took his chance to dive past him. The ploy worked and he was off towards the armory. "Suck it!" He yelled over his shoulder.

Rage glinted in Kakuzu's eyes and he was moving, not wanting to waste time in finishing Deidara. As he ran, Deidara could feel his chakra coming up from behind. They were almost to the armory. Kakuzu would have to be kept busy, or he might restock his weaponry as well. Again he reached into his pockets. 'Damn…' On his fingers he now had the last of his clay.

Kakuzu was gaining, but now the armory was in sight at the end of the hall. Hair lashing his face, Deidara pushed on, twirling the final piece of his clay. Without looking back, he threw it out. A small white bird appeared in the shrinking space between them. Kakuzu noted it briefly before refocusing on his fleeing prey. The moment he paid it no mind, it went for his face.

The explosion sounded behind him and Deidara glanced back in time to watch Kakuzu stumble. 'Perfect.' Slipping out of the other's view, he ducked into the armory. Familiar stone walls greeted him and he immediately spied the window. Smirking to himself, the blonde dove through feet first.

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As Itachi reopened his eyes, he scanned the hall for Konan. 'She's gone again! Shit!' Cool fingers wrapped around his shoulder and before he could turn, he felt her nails sliding up his spine. "You won't finish this so easily," she hissed.

Using only a fraction of a second to focus her chakra, she shaped paper fingers into spears. The moment she felt Itachi move in her grip, she thrust her fingers into his back. He started to pull away, following common instinct before thinking it through. She leaned forward, planning to paralyze him before she took her vengeance. Her outstretched arm became an easy target and Itachi spun to knock her away.

"What the-!" Her elbow disintegrated under his wrist, becoming strips of bright white paper. Their tendrils twisted in the air and then fell over his forearm. Not chancing more contact with her, he stumbled back as his arm began to throb. When he looked down his sleeve had been shredded and his skin severely lacerated.

Wincing with the pain, he used the mangekyou sharingan, catching her unaware with his own speed. Casting off his discomfort, he activated amateratsu. To his frustration, he only managed to hit her arm. Itachi watched tentatively as she howled in grieving fury. The fire was impossible to put out, and would eventually spread, but not fast enough. 'I can't stay behind to make sure it finishes her…'

Pain made her vision hazy, but she kept Itachi in sight. As if he meant to remind her of her quick defeat, he glanced back before starting down the hall. 'There's no way he's getting off so easily! Bastard!' Fury burning in her veins, she let her arm dissipate and sent its white shards after him. The gusting sound of it made him look back once more. This time a genuine swell of sharpened parchment greeted him. His hesitation was short-lived, but more than enough. Without thought, the surge consumed him, circling his figure.

Now the paper moved slower than before, and by nature, he shut his eyes to it. Itachi grit his teeth, feeling pasty paper slide under his skin and ease out trickling threads of crimson blood. 'Dammit!' Instinctive fear of opening his eyes held him, but he pushed it aside, sending amateratsu straight ahead.

He stared rigidly as everything in the onyx fire's path was laid to ruin. The air cleared and he met Konan's outraged glare. Her eyes went wide as raven flames ripped through the air.

She didn't know if she screamed or fell in silence as it tore through her center. Whether she became flesh or paper, there was no escape. Agony seared her from the inside of her stomach to her chest and the coolness of the stone floor did little to help her. The desire to fight left her as she pressed her face against the cracks. Only Itachi could put out amateratsu, and there was no hope of his aid now. 'I would rather die here…'

Feeling her demise consume her, she moved just enough to let her eyes char him from a distance. Hate and fire swallowed her as Itachi faded into a darkening expanse.

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Well... I actually lost part of this fic, AGAIN. It appears the universe hates this story. I hope I haven't lost too many readers in the year and half I've been gone. My apologies for the long wait. You'll probably be waiting more. I'm still sad about losing so much of the fic, and it makes it hard to write. This is only up because I found it on DA. Hopefully I can get a Beta Reader and they will kick me into shape.

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