Reckoning

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Kaguya’s Hospital For The Criminally Insane (4 days later) 

Naruto was shameless grinding against the floor, when again the doctors came in to spray down the cell and the blonde. Naruto let out a roar, sending chills down their spines even as the quickly shot him up with a sedative to do their work. It left the blonde feeling trapped inside his own skin and unsatisfied. Everything was hazy, like watching the world through dirty, fogged up glasses he couldn’t get clean. Moments of time where everything was colored by the instinct to rip flesh from bone and take whatever he wanted to by force. Once for a few minutes, Naruto mentally blacked out. The blonde couldn’t quite tell what happened during those roughly five minutes but he knew that when he came back to himself he could taste blood on his tongue and saw one of the doctors clutching at their arm as they scurried out like rats. 

After the rough first day, Naruto hadn’t been able

To fight the waves of lust that boiled under his skin whenever he thought about Gaara. Specifically, biting Gaara’s throat so brutally that the alphas skin would match the color of his hair. The blonde couldn't fight the relief that consumed him whenever Gaara popped into his head. 

After four days, Naruto vivid imagination had decided it wanted more that just simple memories and had decided to that vivid illusions, (hallucinations to be more accurate) was perfectly okay. Naruto wasn’t sick or unstable anymore. This was just the hormonal desperation of rut. 

“You are breathtaking when covered with blood.” Gaara murmured, as he rested his head on the blondes shoulder.  

‘All the better to suffocate you.’ Naruto thought, cheating heaving with the effort to breathe in the cramped cell. Naruto watched out of the corner of his eyes as he imagined how Gaara would react to the cell he was left in.

“Orochimaru is setting a new standard of care.” Gaara would state. “This cell is hardly more than a box.” 

Naruto wanted to laugh but he could feel another wave of lust building up in his groin. As Naruto groaned he let his hand drift down and do most of the work, tilting his back and exposing his throat in ecstasy. 

 “If I were here with you— I would ravish you.” Gaara murmured, closing his eyes as if he were taking in Naruto's scent.  

“As if I would let you.” Naruto growled. 

“What would you do? If the real Gaara showed up?” The red headed hallucination asked, eyes flinging open with lust and curiosity.

‘I’d take you apart— claw open your back and let my teeth taste your blood then take you from behind until you couldn’t walk without a limp for days. ’ Naruto thought as he breathed out a wrecked moan. 

Gaara felt his pupils dilate, and the suit that the redhead he manifested in seemed to dissolve, leaving his pale skin bare. “Where?” The redhead asked. “Where would you bite me first?”

‘Your throat.’ Naruto thought, his voice too dry from lack of water to really push the words out. 

Abruptly a fresh bite mark appeared on Gaara throat dripping with blood followed by deep claw marks slicing up the redheads back— even as Gaara seemed to sink into pleasure. 

Something still seemed to missing though, as Naruto felt desperation dig and squirm and tug at him internally. 

Suddenly Gaara, reached up and grabbed his own throat and squeezed. 

Naruto came with a hoarse shout before promptly collapsing onto the floor feeling sticky and torn between being hot and cold. The rubber floors and walls didn’t help. His knot was inflated, and pulsing like an over exposed nerve. 

“Do you want to kill me?” The vivid image of Gaara asked, appearing as though nothing happened— already back in a full suit. 

‘Do you want me to?’ Naruto thought, trembling. The pain of having his knot inflate without anything to actually knot made Gaara a little fuzzier. More like…. smoke. 

“I want you.” Gaara replied. “How I get you…. is not as important as fact  that I do.”

‘But still important and you didn’t answer my question.’ Naruto thought with snap. 

“Naruto, I am only in your head. I can only say what believe the real me would say.” The fake Gaara replied calmly. 

‘I know.’ Naruto thought. ‘But part of me wishes the real Gaara could be here for me to kiss.’ 

“Just as part of you wishes I was here, for you to eat me.”  Gaara replied his voice soft and tender while sending a haunting chill up the blondes spine before the Gaara hallucination dissolved into sand. 

‘Just two more days of this.’ Naruto thought, feeling a faint shiver of fear at the prospect. 

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

FBI Headquarters, Northside Konoha City (2 days later)

“I found a pattern!” Kiba exclaimed proudly, standing next to one of the latest victims of a case he was working on. 

“What?” Lee asked, peering over Kiba shoulder just as Ino walked in. 

“What are you looking at?” The Beta asked arching brow at the two. 

“A pattern.” They replied in unison, before looking at each other.

“Some of the Bee stings triggered an allergic reaction, but others didnt.” Kiba said, breaking out of the awkwardness quicker than Lee. “And the inflamed Bee stings are in line with the body’s meridian.”

“Meaning...?” Ino prompted walking over to over next to him and peer down at the body. 

“Acupuncture points.” Lee answered, before clarifying, “The Bee stings are hiding acupuncture needle marks.” Ino blinked and jerked around to stare at the alpha.

“What did you just say?” 

“The Bee stings... are hiding… the...needle marks....” Lee repeated slowly, unused to the attention. Ino, having been stuck by an idea whirled away and darted further back into the morgue to pull out the body she had been working on earlier. The Mural Killer’s body. Ino, now alone, grabbed a magnifying glass and took a closer look at the sticks on the killers body before blink and taking a step back. 

“The stitches are hiding stitches.” Ino said aloud, her voice colored with disbelief. Setting the magnifying glass aside she grabbed a pair of scissors and began to cut away at the stitches to reveal what was being hidden. Gaara’s words from earlier echoed in her brain as Ino repeated them aloud saying, “Only by going deep beneath the skin, will you understand the nature of this killer.”  Carefully, she gloved up and pressed her hand inside only the gasp in shock. “Naruto was right, He took his kidney!” 

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

Kaguya’s Hospital For The Criminally Insane (later the same day)

Naruto felt his body ache, sore from the six days of rut he had to endure in the god awful cell. ‘Not that it was gonna be a picnic.’ Naruto thought. ‘Rut cells are designed to be easy to clean up. Rubber floors with a dib and a drain in the center to make it easy to spray the entire room down. 

The blonde did feel slightly better having gone through a rut, but mostly he just felt exhausted. All of the energy he had— wiped clean. ‘I forgot how rough ruts can be, especially without like a toy or something.’ Naruto thought wincing at his dry throat as he sat up in the scent sealed cell. ‘I want my freaking suppressants back.’ The blonde thought, feeling the dehydration prickle at him. And possibly the beginnings of a cold. ‘When will they come and get me out of here and back to my… regular cell.’ Naruto wondered.

The clanging sound of the iron door being opened jerked his attention away and he looked up to see an dark haired orderly standing there. She sprayed him down with a hose before handing him a fresh set of clothes and said, “You have a visitor here to see you.” Naruto frowned wondering, briefly, who it would be as he dressed. The guards escorted him to the privacy room and he saw Ino sitting there waiting for him. The Beta was anxiously chewing on her nails and immediately stood up when saw him. The guard made the blonde sit and cuffed him to table before leaving. 

“You were right.” Ino said quickly, sliding the photos across the table for Naruto to look at. “Who ever killed our Mural Killer, didn't just take his leg— they took his kidney. One crime made to look like another.” 

“Like the copycat.” Naruto murmured rolling his shoulder slightly. “And… Black Zetsu.” Ino’s eyes widened and she sat back down. ‘Will she believe me? Or question me. Again.’ Naruto tried not to frown but it was so hard to do anything when no one would listen. While he was trapped here in this damn prison. 

“Now your saying Gaara is Black Zetsu?”

“No, I’m saying also Black Zetsu.” Naruto said with a sad half smile. Ino leaned back but didn't say anything, letting him explain. Distantly, Naruto remembered that time when  Gaara had helped them with the killer, Devon Kenton.The organ harvester who was made his kills look like Black Zetsu’s. 

[Ref. To Book 1, Chapter 32]

Naruto had watched as Gaara confidently climbed into the ambulance and leaned over to examine the gash on the victims side before saying, “He was removing his kidney. Poorly. I can stop the bleeding.” 

“Do it.” Kakashi had ordered and the redhead nodded before he slipped out of his jacket and tugged on a pair of latex gloves. “Have you got it?” Kakashi had asked,

“I’ve got it.” Gaara confirmed and Kakashi had ordered Devon to exit the ambulance. Everyone but Naruto had went around the side to help Kakashi with the killer. Naruto however had been too enchanted by Gaara to pay attention to them. 

‘Devon isn’t important. not in the least compares to this.’ Naruto had thought at the time. The blonde had been mesmerized by sight of Gaara with blood on his gloves. There had been pure- single minded focus there. Direction and clarity. ‘Beautiful.’ Naruto had thought at the time. He hadn't bothered to looking away when Gaara looked up and caught his eye by accident. ‘Intelligent, kind, a little funny, powerful and skillful.’ The blonde had thought in awe. ‘In the old times Omegas and sigmas were always drawn to those with power, sometimes even monsters.’ Naruto had thought, still bewitched by Gaara. ‘This is going to end well.’ The blonde thought finally. 

Naruto now finds that last sarcastic thought even more ironic. ‘Couldn’t have ended worse really.’ Naruto thought, ‘still. It proves that Gaara is a skilled surgeon.  “Were the kidneys surgically removed?” The blonde asked. 

“Yes.”

“Doctor Gaara was surgeon.” 

“I know he was.” Ino said rolling her eyes. “I asked him to assist on the first autopsy I performed.” She admitted. “Before i thought about the whole stiches-hiding stitches thing.” 

“You what?” Naruto asked, his mouth going dry as he stared at the Beta across the table from him. “If you asked him to help with an agenda, Gaara would know it.” 

“He pointed me to the evidence!” 

“No! He pointed you the absence evidence.” Naruto exclaimed. “He is baiting a hook— he’s toying with you.” Naruto took a deep breath trying to keep himself calm. “Find Kakashi. Tell him everything you know— everything you’ve found.” The blonde half pleaded. ‘I don't want to see my only real friend left in danger.’ Naruto thought his heart pounding. 

“I can't go to Kakashi with this.” Ino countered. “Not until I can back it up.” 

“Stay. Away. From. Gaara.” Naruto warned sharply. The Beta shook her head in confusion, looking back down at the photo. 

“Black Zetsu takes surgical trophies.” Ino reasoned, “If Gaara is Black Zetsu, what is he doing with his trophies?” The blonde felt his gut drop to his feet and heart seemed to freeze in horror, shock and disgust.  ‘Oh no. Please no.’ Naruto thought as he recalled the Rosalind Windsor, the first victim of the copycat. 

Her lungs taken while she was still breathing. The very same morning, Gaara had showed up with breakfast for them both, sharing his food with the blonde. The redhead had freaking smiled as he watched the blonde eat. ‘There has been a knowing look in his eyes.’ Naruto realized. Suddenly all of those small little comments Gaara liked to make while eating clicked into place.

”He’s eating them.” Naruto whispered.

“That’s….” Ino started to say before trailing off. The blonde could practically hear doubt blooming inside her skull. She swallowed and for the first time since she walked in really took a good look at Naruto. “You look like hell. Are you sure about this?”

“I just went through rut.” Naruto answered, sagging in his chair. “Rut in Prison isn’t exactly glamourous.” The blonde added dryly and she blinked. 

“But… you got food and... stuff right?” She asked hesitantly, her nerves about telling Kakashi bleeding into her every word. 

“I had some cookies...?” Naruto answered before shrugging. “Mostly just wanted clean drinking water.” Ino presses her lips into a frown, clearly ready to go do something for him despite the fact she already had a lot to do. 

“Thanks for your concern Ino, really. But I’m fine.” Naruto said, not mentioning the whole Gaara hallucination he had. ‘That’s normal during a bad rut when you don’t take care of yourself.’ The Blonde thought dismissing it. “Just— get this information to Kakashi.” Naruto insisted.

“Fine.” She agreed, not liking the entire situation anymore than he did. “I just hope your wrong about Gaara.” 

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

FBI Headquarters, Northside Konoha City

Ino was tense as she walked to Kakashi’s office, intending to do as Naruto asked and tell him everything she knew— only to find that he wasn’t there. The Beta women blinked and stood there for a moment confused about what she should do. Then she noticed Kiba, walking down the hall.

“Hey.” She called, ‘Have you see Kakashi?”

“There was some sort of emergency with his Mate Iruka. Doctor Gaara called him from the hospital asking him come.” Kiba explained and Ino was momentarily distracted.

“Is Iruka okay?” 

“I dont know, he didn't say.” Ino bit her lip  and crossed her arms thoughtfully. 

“So… Gaara is at the hospital too?” She asked, double-checking and Kiba nodded. “Bingo.” She whispered under her breath as she turned on her heel and heading for her car. She had a doctor's house to search. 

Illegally. 

Without a warrant. 

Or telling anyone where she was going. 

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

Gaara’s Home, Westside Konoha City

Ino had carefully picked the lock on Gaara’s backdoor, a skill taught to agents in case the needed to break into a room to save someone, and pulled her flashlight out of her pocket. Her handgun was safely holstered to her thigh.

‘Alright, what’s the fastest way to get some evidence.” She murmured to herself, before remembering what Naruto had said about him eating the trophies. “The fridge.” She said quietly, carefully navigating her way through the large house to find the kitchen. Past the office, the living room and dining room. Past the grand staircase and around the corner, until she found her goal. There she quickly opened the fridge and dug through the drawers. “Damn.” She cursed, not finding anything. Scratching at the back of her head she spotted the pantry, tucked off to the side— locked. 

She pushed her platinum blonde ponytail back off her shoulder and knelt down in front of the knob, carefully picking it. Various wine bottles lined the side wall and a second, wider freezer was pushed against the back wall. Glass doors made it easy for her to spot her target. Bits of meat seal in plastic bags, all lined up and she nodded to herself. “Gotcha.” She whispered, grabbed a few different looking ones to take back to the lab to test. 

She turned around quickly, intent on high-tailing it out of there, only to bump into a pitcher of water sitting on one of the side tables. Luckily she caught it before it broke but some of the liquid had already been spilled. 

“Damn.” She muttered, looking around to see if there was something she could use to clean it up only to freeze at a strange hollow sound.  “Something sounds like water, dripping in a large empty cave.” She muttered to herself listening for a moment before realizing where it was coming from. There at her feet, the water that had been spilled was seeping into one of the cracks in the floor. Ino set the meat down on the table and knew down, pressing her hand against the floor and feeling for edges. “It’s a trap door.” She gasped, hesitant before she decided to see what was inside. “Gaara is at the hospital with Kakashi, that’s the other side of town.” She muttered reassuringly to herself as she went down the steps into what appeared to be a basement. 

Still, decades of watching horror films had made her nervous so she pulled out the handgun she had taken with her, and kept it ready. Her flashlight was in her off-hand as she peered into the darkness. “Where’s the lightswitch?” She muttered as she walked further. Cold steel tables lay pushed against the side, and ceiling high metal cabinets rested on both sides of the door. Walking further she pushed past a sheet of plastic that seemed to be forming a sort of...wall? Spotting the light switch she lowered her gun and flipped the lights on. 

Terror, shock and horror twisted into life on her face. “Oh my god.” She gasped, as she realized she was essentially standing in a makeshift surgery room. And there— resting on the table was a severed arm.  Suddenly a scent began to tickle her nose. It was familiar so she hadnt really noticed it earlier, especially since she was surrounded by it being in his house and all. Slowly she turned around, swallowing in fear. Her weak Beta nose wasn’t able to pick it up earlier— to realize that Gaara had returned home. 

Ino turned and standing right there between her and the stairs— between her and freedom— was Gaara. 

Ino clenched her jaw, and Gaara tilted his head. There a short tense moment— then suddenly the redhead moved to flip off the lights. The Beta fired her gun, only managing five bullets. 

Then silence fell over the house.