Reckoning

***************

Kaguya’s Hospital for the Criminally Insane, Northside Konoha Hospital

Naruto sat in his cheek staring at the floor as his mind churning over thoughts of his own impending death. ‘The odds are against me winning this case.’ Naruto thought coldly, refusing to acknowledge the idea that it was impossible. Just… unlikely. ‘How would the kill me?’ Naruto wondered feeling the grimmest of his future sink into his flesh and fill him with… unhappiness. 

The first thing that came to mind was gas. His pictured the guards comping and bolting his body down in a thick steel chair, trapping him. Maybe they would slip a steel mask over his head to hold his skull in place and yet hide his face while he died. Carbon Monoxide lulling him to sleep against his will as it steals his air and suffocates  him. 

The second idea Naruto had was the chair. Of being again, bolted down into his steely chair and vaunt a copper helmet place on the top of his head. Flipping the switch to run electricity through his— and therefore his skull. ‘Maybe it would smell.’ Naruto wondered distantly. ‘The frying of my brain on the inside. As it sends me in to convulsions.’ 

Naruto has just enough time to wonder about the possibility of lethal injection, before a sharp voice said, 

“Mr. Uzumaki, it’s time.” And interrupted his nightmares— thus waking him up. Naruto slowly sat up and saw a different guard standing there holding a cheap suit for him to put on. Feeling as though he was living some sort of twisted nightmare Naruto slipped into the cheap suit and fumbled with the ugly tie as he looped around his neck awkwardly. ‘I’ve never been good with ties.’ Naruto thought, ‘although Gaara is.’ The blonde was quiet as he was loaded into the back of a prison truck and taken the courthouse where he would be going under trial. 

*****************

Fire County Courthouse, Downtown Konoha City

He had to ask for his glasses, and once he got to the courtroom he was glad he grabbed them. ‘I can feel their stressed out worries pacing around like ants.’ He thought to himself, as he kept his eyes focused on the table in front of him. He didn’t look up, and didn't bother looking at the jury. The noise itself wouldn’t have been so bad but it was all focused on him, mostly all about him. About how much of a monster he was. The hair on the back of Naruto's neck prickle under the gazes of everyone in the courtroom. 

“Let me tell you the story of a mild mannered FBI instructor who has asked to profile a killer we now know as Mikoshi Visfiya.” The the FBI’s prosecutor said addressing the jury. Starting the trial earlier than it was originally supposed to, by roughly two hours. She was a tall curvy Beta whose thoughts screamed for my power that what she possessed. ‘She wishes she was an alpha .’ Was Naruto's first thought of her. ‘But she leads in strong.’ Naruto added as he eyed her and the purple dress suit she wore like battle armor. “Mikoshi killed young women that looked like his daughter. He didn’t just kill them though, he killed them and then ate them.” She continued before pausing for effect. “Naruto caught him because he understood him. In fact he caught Mikoshi as he was trying to slit is daughters throat and shot him ten times. And so Naruto was able to save Matsuri Visfiya life.” She crosses her arms. “However the mental profile he created of Mikoshi was so vivid, he couldn’t escape and went on to murder more young girls, in an unconscious state.” 

Naruto swallowed as the Beta women used a slide to display images of the victims he has supposedly  killed. The picture was the only one he dared look at. ‘Matsuri.’ Naruto thought. As he started at the picture of her ear.

“Naruto was able to save Matsuri Visfiya from her father, but not from himself. Naruto killed her, and then he ate her.” She sighed. “Or at the very least he ate her ear. what happened to the rest of Matsuri is locked away in Naruto's supposedly traumatized mind.” The Beta smirked. “Something else you should know about Naruto— he has remarkable visual memory. He is keenly insightful to the human condition, trained in forensics— and I would argue the smartest person in this room.” Gaara who had come to watch the trial from the back, silently smile at her words, both amused and irritated. “Naruto is fully capable of creating a psychological profile of a completely different kind of murder. One which would become his alibi.”

Outside the courtroom, Niko Airi was sitting on the edge of the stiff leather seats watching Kakashi pace back and forth outside the doors. 

“Moment of truth.” She hummed as she stood to walk up to him and Kakashi sighed.

“If I only knew what the truth was.”

“There’s nothing wrong with your instincts.” Mikoshi assures him and he frowne. 

“My instincts haven’t reached a conclusion yet.”

“Mine have, ” She said determined and he raised a brow at her, trying to keep in mind that despite the fact she was a beta and he was an alpha— she was still his boss. “With benefit of no previous involvement. I have no personal connections to the accused for him to take advantage of.” 

“Are you implying I can’t be impartial?” Kakashi rumbled and she shook her head.

“Of course you can be, but right now your not.” She explained simply before sighing. “Look Kakashi, you have to believe something as long as there is reason and evidence to believe.” She shrugged. “You have reason, and you have evidence and Naruto is just playing a game. Though I understand it might be hard for you to accept.”

“Do you?” Kakashi questioned his arms tense as he glanced over at the door. His tone was coated with disbelief. 

“Of course. It’s easier to be a friend who missed a friends suffering than it is to be the head of the behavioral science in the FBI who missed a murderer in front of him.” She smiled, “There is a reason you are a witness for the prosecution Agent Kakashi.” 

“Remind me what that reason is.” Kakashi murmured.

“If you can’t represent your own beliefs, represent the FBI’s.” She explained simply.  A guard cracked open the door and called his name. Kakashi entered, and Naruto felt his gaze on his shoulders as he walked up to the stand. ‘This is going to go well.’ Naruto thought.

“How did you meet Naruto?” The prosecutor asked. 

“I met at the opening of a museum. He disagreed with we had called it. He had told me he thought it rewarded cruel insane people who didn’t deserve to be thought of as super villains.” 

“And your first impression?”

“Naruto was… intelligent, arrogant and very likely on the spectrum.” 

“Was they why he wasn’t cleared to be a full FBI agent?”

“Yes.” 

“Yet you felt he was qualified to serve in the field?” The Beta women questioned. Naruto frowned at the quick faced paced wording they used, and hated how she painted him. ‘They really are going for the kill aren’t they?’ Naruto wondered. 

“Under my supervision.”

“And you believed that Naruto was valuable because he could think like a killer?” 

“Naruto could think like anybody.” Kakashi said simply. ‘Only the loud obnoxious people.’ Naruto thought snidely, ‘oh wait that’s almost everyone.’ 

“Sounds like a super villain.” The prosecutor said cheekily. Before turning to the evidence table. 

“All of this psychical evidence, tell us that Naruto can think like a killer because he is one. And rather than feel tormented by he work he did— Naruto enjoyed the cover the FBI gave him to commit his crimes.” Kakashi sucked in a deep breath before saying,

“I don’t believe that to be true.” The prosecutor froze and turned back to face him. Naruto blinked, not expecting this turn of events either. ‘Okay wow. Really didn’t think he liked me this much, as a friend of course but still.’ The blonde thought though he doubted that Kakashi has really done anything in the long run. He was still doomed to a guilty sentence. ‘Gaara basically made sure of that.’ 

“Pardon?”

“Naruto hated every second of the work. He hated it. There was no faking that. He hated and I kept making him do it.” 

“Then why is that when you offered him the chance to quit why did he refuse?”

“Because he was saving lives.” Kakashi growled and she narrowed her eyes at the alpha. “I had been warned one more than one occasion that if I pushed Naruto I would break him. I put those checks and balances in place, ignored them and here we are.” 

Shortly after the judge announced a brief recess, and Naruto sat carefully chained to the underside of the table. 

“What does Kakashi drink?” Naruto's attorney asked. “Because whatever it is i need to send him a very expensive bottle.” 

“He said I was killer because he drove me insane.” Naruto said bluntly and his attorney laughed. 

“He practically paved the road to your defense.” 

“He didn’t say I was innocent though.” Naruto mumbled, hating courts and laws. Everything was jumbled in them. Justice was ill-balanced in the modern world. It favored the corporation over the people and allow them to lobby without limits essentially buying out the politicians for their own vile twisted schemes. 

‘Political is a sham for corporations to expand their business as the expensive of others.’ Naruto thought dryly. 

“Innocence isn’t a verdict.” His attorney said with a shrug. “But not guilty is. This isn’t law, this is advertising.”

“Advertising lies, manipulates and twists things. It’s vulgar.” 

“Boo-boo so’s the law.” His attorney countered. “Look we gotta create desire to find you not guilty, which was non-existent before Kakashi. These people don’t want your innocence. Now… unconsciousness in a pretty package? That I can sell.” 

“Sir.” A secretary said, handing the attorney a package. 

“Thank you.” he said as he started unwrapping it and continuing his conversation with Naruto. “If I take the moral high-ground with you, I’ll get you killed.” The attorney finished say to Naruto just as the packed was finally opened. A single, severed ear spilled out of the package. “I think I opened your mail.” The attorney blurted out with wide eyes. ‘I just what I needed, crazy people sending my weird stuff like this. During. My. Trial.’ Naruto thought trying to keep from grinding his teeth together. ‘This isn’t going to play to my favor.’ 

The security guard that was posted in the back stepped forward to watch them while Kakashi called in a forensics team from the FBI to come pick up the ear and analyze it and question everyone. Naruto both dreaded the fiasco it would create and felt a thrill of relief at delaying the verdict. After all, more time to save his life was a good thing. 

**************

Gaara’s Office, downtown Konoha City

With the trial put on hold because some sent an ear to the courtroom, Gaara returned to his office for a drink with Kakashi. Since the agent was seen as too involved the FBI had put someone else in charge overseeing the ear thing, though he was still marginally involved since his team worked best under him. It was a convoluted mess of bureaucratic crap. 

“That was a brave act,” Gaara said kindly, pouring a Kakashi and himself some deep red wine. “What you did for Naruto.” 

“It likely cost me my job.” Kakashi responses lightly, take one of the glasses that the redhead offered. There was still then bit of tension that always seems to happen between alphas but Gaara had plenty of skill diffusing, allowing their friendship to settle into something more concrete and stable. 

“That does not seem to disturb you as much I would have believed.” Gaara stated, not leaving it as a question. 

“I haven’t felt better in weeks.” Kakashi replied with a shrug and smile, taking a sip from his wine. 

“Clarity has that effect.” Gaara acknowledged, and they two fell into silence for a moment as they both stood in Gaara office enjoying some wine. The redhead leaned against his desk half sitting on it. “Kakashi, did you intend your testimony to be your resignation?” The alpha asked after another sip from his glass. 

“That is… a tempting idea.” Kakashi said with a slow nod. “Just walking away from all of the noise….” The FBI agent sank down into the seat Gaara always reserved for patients before saying, “I am simply content to let the chip fall.” 

“A magic door is always attractive.” Gaara responded. “The way out when nothing else seems possible. Simply step through and leave all of your burdens behind.” 

“You know, I have given my life to death?” Kakashi said with a sigh of disbelief and resignation. “All of those years solving murders and capturing killers… all of the death and violence.” The agent shook his head and fell back into silence.

“Now death has followed you home.” Gaara murmured. “How is Iruka?” He asked, checking on the other alphas mate. 

“Iruka has kept our bedroom from looking to much like a sick room.” Kakashi explained, “some flowers of course but not too much.” He smiles. “He keeps hiding all of his pills, keeping them out of sight. That sorta of thing.” Kakashi drags in a long breath steadying himself as his eyes start to water. “I— I’ve been thinking about taking him to to Anbu, where we met. Before it’s too late to travel. We could—“ he stopped and swallowed. “He could die there.”  

“Kakashi, you are not sick.” Gaara said carefully. “You do not have to go into the ground with him. When your omega is gone the FBI could still be there.” 

“So your telling me— don’t commit professional suicide?” Kakashi asked trying to lighten the tone somewhat but failing. 

“As your friend, I am telling you not to force an issue. Not for the short term emotional satisfaction is may bring.” 

***************

Gaara Home, West Side Konoha City

That evening Gaara went home to unwind. He ate his dinner and enjoyed a few moments to listen some of favorite music before preparing to go to bed. The alpha took his suppressants, showered and put on some casual sweatpants before walking to over to his bed. Before he could lay down, his phone began to ring. Gaara blinked and a look of annoyance briefly flashed across his face as he went to go an answer it. 

“Hello?”

“Gaara, hi I’m sorry to call you so late. Listen the results on the ear came back. I wanted your opinion on it.” Kakashi stated, his voice coming across mildly scratch on the other side because he was in the basement. Gaara glanced at the clock.

“Are you asking me to drive to FBI?” 

“No no, I was just going to tell what we have so far— if your not to busy.” 

“Not at all.” Gaara replied simply, walking down stairs towards his living room and reclining in his armchair. “I’m listening.” He added shifting slightly as the chair rubbed against his back. 

“Very well. So far we only have three sets of prints anywhere on the package. The guard, the attorney, and the courier. All three of them checked out.”

“I see.” 

“Based on the blood vessels, the ear was cut off 48 hours at the latest. So before the trial even started and obviously Naruto didn’t do it.” Kakashi explained.

“This suggests the timing of the drop was deliberate.” Gaara murmured no longer relaxing back in chair. Instead the alpha had sat-up and leaned forward. 

“Based on the timing… it would have been dropped off at the beginning of trial.” Kakashi realized, “but the trial started early.” 

“Such a gift has great significance.” Gaara murmured.

“A gift from who though?” Kakashi questioned.

“Naruto believes someone is framing him for the murders.” Gaara explained simply, feeling exhaustion tugging at his limbs. 

“He also said the person framing him was you.” 

“Perhaps Naruto is half right.” Gaara stated, before letting out a carefully timed yawn.

“Thank you Gaara you’ve been a great help. Again, sorry for bothering so late.” Kakashi hurriedly said before hanging up. Gaara sat the phone down on the side table and sat in the chair for a few more long moments as he thought about this new information. The redhead ended up having to have another glass of wine before he went back to bed.

**************

Kaguya’s Hospital for the Criminally Insane

Naruto paced back and forth in his cell still puzzling over his impending doom and how to prevent it. ‘I need out. Soon.’ He thought as another tell-tale cramp rolled it way through him. He gritted his teeth and endured, almost missing the sharp familiar scent of a flowering and desert sand. 

“It seems you have an admirer.” Gaara said lightly beginning the conversation the moment he reached his cell. 

“You think some sent me an ear…. because they admire me?” Naruto questioned, moving to sit on the edge of his bed. His green prison suit was rubbing the skin on the back of his thighs raw already and the blonde tried not to wince. 

“The boundaries of normalcy are getting narrower. Outside those boundaries this may have been intended as a helpful gesture.” Gaara replied and Naruto blinked. ‘So I’m supposed to get excited strange people are mailing body parts to be and view it as someone trying to help me?’ The blonde thought blinking. 

“How far would you go to help me?” Naruto asked quietly.

“It hadn’t occurred to me to send you an ear.” Gaara replied, and Naruto couldn’t tell if he was lying, joking or telling the truth. ‘Infuriating.’ Naruto thought. “However, I am grateful someone has.” Gaara murmured softly, just barely loud enough for the blonde to hear and the blonde looked down at his hands. ‘It’s like he’s trying to give me whiplash. He frames me for murder and throws me in Prison. Now he wants me out of Prison. Just make up your mind you're torturing me.’ The blonde thought before quickly trying to shake away all of those thoughts. His hormones were spiking up again. ‘He probably enjoys it too.’ Naruto thought suddenly and the blonde wanted to growl from internal hormonal swing his body was putting him through. It was still working out that it could actually have a cycle and it was decide and which one to have first. 

“Gratitude has a short half-life.” Naruto muttered. 

“Doubt can as well.” Gaara stated. “I have new thoughts about who you are.” The redhead hesitated. “There may very well be another killer.” 

“I want there to be.” Naruto admitted, looking up at Gaara momentarily forget about his anger towards him. There was a rush, a desire to growl, bite and kiss. ‘Fucking hormones.’ Naruto thought as he swallowed and tried to get a grip on himself before he embarrassed himself in front of a freaking serial killer who may or may not just want to torture the hell out of him until he dies. 

“Does some part of you still suspect me?” Gaara questioned. 

“I don’t know what anyone is capable of anymore.” Naruto mumbled. “Least of all myself.” The blonde let his head rest in his hands. Later he would say that this was just his body throwing him around like a rag doll. Leaving him incapable of thinking clearly— which is partially true. But his hormones were like alcohol, they only made him say what he thought to be true.

“I know there is no evidence against you. That accusing you makes me look insane.” The blonde lifted his head and stared intently at the redheaded alpha who attracted him and pissed him in almost equal measures. “I am not insane. Not anymore.” 

“You may not be guilty.” Gaara answered. “This ear you were sent is an opportunity. Someone else is responsible for your crimes. Perhaps now he wants to be seen?” 

“Why now? Why would he want to be seen now?” Naruto growled, feeling another roll of his gut. 

“He care what happens to you.” Gaara said simply before leaving Naruto with his thoughts. ‘He locks me up in Prision where I get put on death's row and tells me he cares about me?’ Naruto thinks and he flops back on his bed, wincing occasional as his gut gives him cramps and tries to rearrange his internal organs and stuff. ‘he's still convinced I haven’t recovered any memories yet which is good.’ The blonde though groaning as a particularly painful cramp said hello. ‘But this isn’t doesn’t solve any of my problems yet. Fuck I hate playing the whole waiting game.’

*****************

Fire County Courthouse, Downtown Konoha City

The next morning when Naruto was dragged off for his trial to continue, the blonde kept thinking about Gaara words. ‘Am I a bad person for almost not caring if someone else takes the fall?’ Naruto thought as he considered Gaara offer. ‘Someone has to be in jail for the murders and I don’t think Gaara is jumping at the chance, which means someone else will take the fall. Would that really be…. that bad?’ Naruto wondered as he waited for the trial to resume. 

“The prosecution calls Karin Namikaze to the stand.” A loud voice called out from somewhere behind him and Naruto wanted to growl as the red haired Beta walked in, acting as though she was just shocked and traumatized by everything. ‘Sickening.’ Naruto thought eyeing how she kept herself looking small and fragile. ‘You’d almost think she was some stereotypical omega.’ The blonde thought glaring at her. 

“I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.” Karin proclaimed before taking a seat. 

“Would please describe your relationship with the Matsuri Visfiya?” The Beta prosecutor asked, her heels clicking against the floor.

“Well, we were very close.” Karin insisted. “And I was helping her to write a book about surviving her father.” 

“And did you ever discuss Naruto Uzumaki with Matsuri?”

“Matsuri told me that she believe that Naruto Uzumaki wanted to kill her, and then eat her. Just like her father. Wanted to.” Karin replied coyly and everyone in jury shifted blinked and gasped slightly at the information. Naruto just hoped she got run over by a bus. “She was right, and I should have listened to her.” The Beta added, acting as sad and heartbroken as she knew how. Gaara looked dissatisfied with Karin’s entire testimony, like he knew she was lying but unable to say anything. ‘Trashy Beta.’ Naruto thought trying not to outright glare at her, since that would only make things worse for him.

“Do you blame yourself for Matsuri’s death?”

“I blame Naruto Uzumaki, for Matsuri’s death.” She claimed boldly and Naruto could feel his lawyer shift next to him. 

“Thank you.” The Prosecutor said before walking back to her chair. “Your witness.” She reminded the lawyer sitting next to the blonde. Naruto lawyer nodded at her, and then stood up. 

“Miss Karin, would you please remind how many times you’ve been sued for liable?” 

“Six.” She whispered into the mix, looking uncomfortable. 

“I’m sorry?” He said, acting as though he hadn’t heard. 

“Six.” She repeated, louder this time. 

“Six….” he muttered looking through his paper. “And how many times did you settle?” 

“Six.” Karin said resignedly. 

“Thank you, nothing more your honour.” He said smugly. Whatever confidence was won by her words seemed to have dulled and faded somewhat thanks to that. Naruto let out a sigh. ‘Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if someone else took the fall. I know I didn’t kill any of the other girls, and I doubt I killed Matsuri.’ He thought.