He could feel himself, again, falling and rising from the state of his consciousness. He was most likely left to die here- die a death that he unbearably disgraced.
If it weren't for them he wouldn't have broken down so easily. His self preservation had been stripped so long ago, like an old and bleeding scab readying itself to form a soft pink scar underneath. True, it would be healed soon after, but the memory of it was sure to never disappear. They had drilled this into his head as lesson number one. The more scars he would receive, the more memories he would have to bare.
Had he not been stupid and attempted to enter the trap he knew was lying there, most likely for his presence, he would not have hurled himself at the clearly higher ranked and skilled ninja.
At least, it was only a while back that he tried to believe it was his own fault for being captured. Clearly it wasn't.
I hate him!
He felt himself on the verge of tears, almost crying again like he had done multiple times.
I hate that bastard!
If it wasn't for the thick headedness of his so called love, he wouldn't be in this mess. Love, was no longer a word to him. Hatred, profound hate was what radiated off his very soul and into the empty room.
No matter how much you love someone, blame them. Blame them for all the pain they caused until it drives you insane. Lesson number two plunged into his nerves.
I hate him so bad!
They finally fell, staining his dirt and grime marked cheeks with soft and shining liquid.
The blonde never dared to fight to hold them back. If he cried, he would know he was still alive; he wanted to be. If he were to die, it would not be here.
Not in this godforsaken place that has made my life a living hell.
For so long he had dreamed of engaging in that final battle-best friend at his side- perhaps a sword aimed at his heart, a kunai aimed at the other's. They would finish eachother off, on equal terms as well as the understanding both would feel.
Yet, it was merely a dream. Like said, if he were to die, it would not be in this pit, by those damned people. If time being, he died here it would be by his own hands, blood stained and ready to commit the ungodly act.
He actually had tried, many heart wrenching times. He was prepared to leave the world, yet they stopped him.
With rocks he managed to create a spark with, he tried to burn himself alive. They stopped him with the needle.
The same rocks, he tried to beat in his head with them. The needle.
A metal or such fork to stab himself in the heart. The needle.
A noose created with his jacket. The needle.
Soon, they grew tired of it; stopping his suicidal acts completely by chaining his arms above his head and to the wall eating at his back.
They performed harsh torture, but never enough to cause him to answer the question they frequently asked. In fact, he no longer remembered what they questioned about. All he knew was that in his silence a beating would quickly follow.
Most times, he even forgot his name. It sent him in a fit of confusion and utter panic. He would try desperately to recall it, afraid to loose that one string holding him to the earth. He would cry out and yell at the guards standing by his cell door; begging and pleading for his name.
"What's my name...I forgot... Tell me my name! Please, I'm begging you!"
There were moments when the men would laugh at him and his insanity while others would cringe at his persistence as he tore and yanked his arms at the chains, crying out with more pain than any other torture would create. They had tried to use it to their advantage once, demanding that he told them what they wanted to know in order to receive his name. Yet, he would not answer, only cry out in fury and spit curses at the men, seeking to burn them with his red chakra that was no longer a threat since those daily doses kept it sealed.
"...Na...ru...to..." He let the name play on his lips a moment. The sound was nice; soft on his dried tongue and sored throat. It was the only thing that could keep him calm-sane in his tattered frame of mind. Only by sound would he remember what it was, sadly, it was now the reality he began to face.
Three years under imprisonment sent his mind hurdling in a surge of rushing heartbeats; the beats he felt everyday in which slowly begun to take its speed, faster paced in his growing fear and mentally unstable conscience.
He was to die in this hell where he would never be saved. Having faced it long ago, he came to the conclusion that the leaf had given him false hope for an entire year since it all began.
Try and trust in those that hated you from the start, pretending to care, and you'll end in a drowning sea of your own stupidity. Give a man false hope and death will follow. Rule number three, jabbed into his chest.
Reason for attempted suicide soon followed.
I'm sick.
He had been sick for a long time. He no longer cared for food, water, sunlight, fresh air, new clothes, a warm bath, a hug...life. He no longer cared for these. He simply wished for everything to end, to finish what he started half a year ago before he had been put into cuffs, saving him from himself.
He had cried many times before, but he could never understand why.
I thought I was strong.
Spitting out all that blabber and utter nonsense of his undying spirit to persue his dream to become Hokage didn't matter as of now. So long as he lived in torment would he wish for death. Beg for death.
I need to do it.
The hard stone at the corner of the room never ceased to mock him. He cringed at its taunting glare.
His head turned abruptly at the sound of rusted metal. The door to his confinement opening slowly, the creaking always sending him in a mad rage of fear.
He stopped every movement he could muster, setting his breathing to a slow and steady pace. Sleep...how he wished he didn't have to pretend. The only thing he actually wanted besides death was the comfort of sleep. The effects of insomnia ruptured all along his aching body.
The footsteps were hollow, soft sounding and muted as much as possible. The person bought the hoax the blond was currently displaying.
He swallowed slightly, wondering who it could have been. For sure no one would be feeding him at the moment. He received one meal regularly and he had already eaten it not long before. Another torture most likely. Though, they never did it so often. The only logical set of mind would be his usual dose of the clear syringe.
Probably.
Before realizing it, the form had stopped so close to him that he could feel their body heat in the cold room.
He kept his eyes in their pretend slumber.
"Oy."
Why would they attempt to wake him through speech? They never would've.
He only continued to sleep.
"You hear me don't you...Dobe."
He nearly chocked out, breaking his illusion. He lifted his head slightly to meet the collar of a white uniform. He desperately tried to raise his head further, yet found he couldn't unless he wished to strain his bruised neck. He could feel his body shivering slightly, in what? Excitement? Confusion? Fear?
"Idiot... I knew you were lying. What are you doing here?" His voice was so familiar and warm that he reached out to hear it more. It brought comfort. His enemy brought him comfort...
"..." He wanted to say something and failed, allowing only a whince to escape his brittle lips.
"I never thought you'd be dumb enough to get caught, Naruto."
This time he responded. "Na...ru...to..."
Naruto tried to smile. Painful.
"I never thought you'd be that dumb."
Go ahead, insult me. I've missed it.
"You know, all you have to do is tell them what they want."
"...I...forgot..."
"Idiot. That mission you were on. Where's the scroll you had hidden."
Damn interrogator. "That was...three years ago."
He heard the teen stiffen.
Did he not know?
Reclaiming his composure he stood tall and "hn'ed". "It never got anywhere. No one has found it since then."
Naruto could clearly hear the shock in his voice. So, he didn't know.
"Naruto, all you have to do is tell them where the damn scroll is. It has nothing to do with the leaf."
"...to be honest...I've forgotten...what mission was this...? So long...what rank...? Probably an A...S...I dunno...it was some bull mission the old lady gave me...something about something... A scroll, I think...I don't remember what it looked like...round...paper, maybe...same trash..." He couldn't stop himself from forming complete and utter nonsense. It was the only thing he could think of-the only thing he could reply- his long lost friend was distracting him to no end.
"Idio-"
"I don't remember a thing..."
He stood silent for a moment, his body lowering to the height of the blond's gaze until they finally made eye contact.
Naruto, scared at first, shut his eyes. He had only gotten so much as a lock of raven hair cascading over the face of the figure.
"Do you remember my name?"
As much of an irritating question it was, he had expected as much from the other. From the second he noticed whom it was he had attempted to put the sounds to his lips as much as he could recall.
"...Sas...uke..."
"You hesitated."
"Damn right..."
It was only because I was trying to remember. To be honest, I'm surprised I remember yours and not even my own.
"Why are you even here?" This time, the blond would be the one to ask the questions.
"Saving a Dobe from his stupidity."
The hollow echo of clanking metal sounded and Naruto felt himself falling forward, free from any restraints and caught in an embrace before he made impact with the ground. For a moment, he was shocked beyond belief; his mind unable to process that he was presently being held in the arms of another no matter if it was sincere or not.
He could hardly move his arms and his legs didn't feel to respond. He was left like a conscious heap of limbs with no where to flee and no protection except for the other holding onto him.
He had never felt so weak in his life. He was no longer a body of strength and wisdom, being stripped from such he was only left as a shell of a crippled teen whom would be afraid to seek friendship or anything near for fear of loosing it in the blink of an eye as had been done years ago.
Naruto's body heaved in a shudder when the small whimper escaped from his chasted lips. The sobs ripped at his soul and he felt himself unable to hold onto the little bit of his younger self that he dreamed could return his child-like enthusiasm.
He felt the hands of the raven grip onto his back, hoping to spread comfort into the crying blond. "Naruto... I'm here, don't worry."
He only continued, his voice growing louder and his sobs wrenching at his heart.
"I've missed you, Dobe."
The tears soon stopped after a while.
I need to forget about all this...if I don't, I'll go crazy...I know...I'll kill myself...I need to forget, I need to stay sane.
Sasuke moved away from cradling the blond and stood to his feet. He stared down at him with a smile and turned towards the cell door. "Hey, I brought you food." His hands reached out of the door and fumbled around inside a bag placed on the floor.
Naruto could only sit on the cold stone and watch in confusion. Feeling had begun to come back to his arms and legs and he was grateful, though it was mostly a numbing sting returning.
He had already started to fall to unconsciousness again, but not the type of sleep he wanted. It was never sleep his body fell into, but a knocked cold conscience. His eyes drooped heavily, yet they widened in terror when he felt the unexpected hand on his shoulder. Sasuke had moved so silently that his close presence had been completely unknown to the blond.
The raven sighed and placed the food at the blond's side before setting himself down onto the ground as well. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." His voice was sincere.
Naruto could feel his fingers slightly now. He hummed a low 'hai' in understanding.
"I made it myself." The Uchiha was referring to the food.
He turned his head to stare at the clear tray that was presently encased by a cloud of steam slapped against the plastic cap. Though he didn't know what it was, the smell seeping through was enticing, sending his mouth watering. Of all the things he had eaten, none of them smelled as good- the usual he ate was no more than a chunk of bread, water, and if he had been especially "good" he would receive a special treat; being a fruit or something sweet.
He was much too distracted to realize that his hands ended to resting on the tray, his fingers hungrily tapping at the sides, weakly attempting to uncover it.
Sasuke, seeing this, pulled the food from underneath the blond's boney hands and opened it in a mere second. He placed it back down at his side.
Naruto let his hand trail over to where the food sat, but stopped completely afterwards.
What if it's poisoned and they're trying to finish me off?
"Dobe, it's not poisoned."
The blond looked up in surprise to see that the raven had a hunk of food from the tray at the edge of his own lips. He smiled and pushed it into his mouth, chewing it, proving that it hadn't been tampered with.
The aroma was killing the blond internally and he desperately reached out and snatched a half-cut sandwich enveloping its contents of ham, cheese, lettuce, and, of course, tomato. He shoved it into his mouth and chomped vigorously, horrifyingly afraid of what he held to be taken from his person. He would leave no trace of the wrong deed he was doing.
The taste was too much to handle, leaving him hungrier than before and crying out for the other half that lay in his line of sight. He quickly swallowed the sandwich in his mouth and crept his fingers around the second half. No sooner was he about to engulf it when a pale hand shot forward and stopped his advance.
"Naruto, eat slower. You'll get sick."
He kept his dull blue eyes on the food and the hand wrapped around his own wrist, the one that stopped himself from easing his yelping stomach. Using his other hand, he grabbed the sandwich and pushed it to his teeth, biting the crunching bread immediately as contact was made. How sensational it all was...
He allowed his eyes to trail over to the Uchiha whom was staring at him in disbelief. He was shocked to see Sasuke with such a face, but wasn't surprised. His body must've looked horrible and along with his animalistic behavior it only fueled the fire.
"Sorry," he feebly whispered.
Sasuke shook his head in response. "No, you have every right." His fingers released the thin wrist he still held.
Naruto finished the sandwich with a satisfied lick at his fingers to remove the excess crumbs he still craved. He heard a chuckle from the raven and turned instinctively to the sound.
"I brought you more than that. I knew you would be hungry." His hands went over to the tray at lifted it to reveal that underneath a napkin on the inside were brown, fried wonton.
Naruto nearly chocked in excitement. He could feel a smile perk at the edge of his lips and a luagh escape his throat. "Damn...you made that?"
"I already told you, didn't I?"
He nodded and happily grasped at one of the amazingly smelling treats. This time, he no longer rushed to swallow it or bit it down in a mad rush, this time, he swallowed it, slowly and savored.
How nice...
By the time he was done, the Uchiha was on his feet again. "Naruto, you don't have to worry anymore."
The blond only continued to stare at the figure near the cell door. It was open and he couldn't put to words as to why. Had it been open the entire time. He was about to ask what the raven had meant, but was interrupted.
Sasuke turned his face to smile at Naruto, lips curled in humor. "Right, Naruto? They're all gone."
The blond tried to look past the door. There has to be a guard there. Probably waiting for the chance to come in and murder me.
"You hear me?"
Naruto made contact with the Uchiha and realized the humorous expression was no longer pasted on the pale face. His eyes had grown darkand his bangs covered nearly all his face, his smile replaced with a frown. A sickly feeling hung in the air.
"I killed them. I've sent them all to the depths of hell."
Just a quick one-shot I was dying to write. Please tell me what you think about this and please...don't mind the food scene, I was hungry at the moment and was in the mood for Wonton. Review, please!
Arigatou!