Summary: Wasn't that what Kakashi was fighting for? Freedom? But the truth left a sour taste in his mouth, for someone who'd been kept prisoner for most of his short life, he didn't have a clue how to fend for himself. In which Kakashi has an excessive need to protect his family.
Warnings: AU, Rape, Non-Con, Yaoi, Underage
Pairings: MinaKaka
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, all rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto.
When his cell door was ripped off its hinges and he was hastily dragged through the dark passage and out into the blinding light, he thought he was going to die. He thought he was going to die and he thought his miserable existence had finally come to an end, blotted out and forgotten about.
He'd briefly thought that Rin would die, that Obito would die-hell, his whole family was dead.
There had always been the blinding terror, the threat looming over them that their so called 'protection' would turn on them. Rip then to shreds, abuse them, beat them until they could no longer move their frail limbs. But really what were they there for? To 'look after' them? To feed them and shelter them? No.
They were there to train them, to horde them like livestock until they were deemed worthy of being sold to the wealthiest bidder. For a long time he'd thought the walls surrounding them were there to keep something out - so he'd been told - but in reality they were there to keep them in.
Rin had dreams and old tattered books filled with ideas and almost unimaginable things - mountains of rock that towered high above the clouds, large expansive bodies of water that were miles and miles in all directions and as deep as any of us could even believe, rivers of sand and mud and tall tunnels of wind with destructive powers that ravished lands. Her eyes were filled with hopes and dreams and promises that were yet to be fulfilled and they sparkled like the stars that they so rarely saw and the mockery of such stars that hung above them, paper wrapped with foil that glinted off of the light that spilled forth from the small lamp.
Kakashi was jealous because Rin's eyes never lost their warmth and love and such child like innocence and Obito's retained their unwavering determination and the ferocious strength of a lion. But Kakashi's just looked cold like steel and the detest he felt for humanity was ever present on his face and the rage burned within him every minute of every day. And he hated it, but he couldn't help it because his own world - all of their worlds - we're ending around him and there wasn't a thing he could do about it. Everyone he knew or had known were dying or would disappear; he would have compared it to an apocalypse if it weren't for the new souls being entrapped here more often than not.
Sometimes Kakashi felt helpless, abandoned and pathetic but when he looked at his two peers - no not peers, family - he wondered if the reason his own soul had been trapped here was for them. To care for them, to help them, to protect them best he could from the horrors of this place because he knew he could never live with himself if he saw Rin's warmth turn to ice and see those eyes no longer look at him with hope but rather with glazed emptiness and for Obito's unwavering determination to be broken. They were counting on him and in a way he was counting on them to never leave him and for them to give him a reason to carry on.
They were in a war against their protectors and there was no doubt they were going to lose but if none of them bothered to fight then they couldn't win but the ones who did didn't last long. Kakashi wanted to fight, he wanted to win but he also wanted to be here for his adoptive family. His brother and sister. His reason to live.
But they weren't here to fight, they were here because they didn't have a choice and they knew it was pointless. They followed him, so oblivious to his own suffering and that was how Kakashi wanted it; he promised them and himself that he would protect them no matter what.
He didn't care if he died or not, his body was going to be used as a tool for some old man for sexual pleasure so why not use it to fight for their freedom?
His friends were dying, if not physically, mentally at least. Everyday there was a little less hope, the nights seemingly a little longer, their minds being taken over by the ones in control. Their beliefs wavered everyday. Be the good little slave. Please your superior. Know your place. You were born to serve.
It was all bullshit and Kakashi knew it yet it was people like him - the unbreakables - that were discarded of first. He could see the other children around him succumb to their daily brainwashing - becoming the perfect slave, the perfect whore, the perfect submissive human being - but Kakashi couldn't help them, and it chipped at his own confidence to pull through little by little because once you got that far you weren't coming back.
So when his cell door was ripped off its hinges and he was hastily dragged through the dark passage and out into the blinding light, he thought he was going to die. He thought he was going to die and he thought his miserable existence had finally come to an end, blotted out and forgotten about.
He'd briefly thought that Rin would die, that Obito would die.
But none of them died, none of them were beaten - they'd been saved. The men wearing green flak jackets and headbands that Kakashi had vague memories of from when he was really little had told him they were safe now, all of them were and there was no need to worry. They weren't going to become slaves and the protectors had been caught.
Kakashi still remembers the man that had saved him and his family that day. Blond hair that shone in the blindingly bright sunlight, blue eyes that were like the sky; the beautiful blue sky that he had not seen in the years he'd been confined underground.
And then they were ushered away to a facility that was clean and had sunlight and windows and comfy beds and proper food. And there was no brainwashing and no abuse and there was no need to be on constant alert and no need to feel the constant panic with the knowledge that you could be put to death at any moment. But Kakashi still felt all of these things, he couldn't relax even if he wanted to; as far as he was concerned these people were the same with their white lab coats and sterile equipment. He didn't know these people but he knew they were adults and adults were not to be trusted.
The three of them were there for months - he didn't know how many, but it felt like forever - and the children who had remaining family had come for them and had taken them home. Parents and siblings turning up, displays of excessive emotion that most of the kids had long forgotten about and to say everyone who'd been 'saved' found it awkward was an understatement. It was like none of them knew how to feel, or at least express how to feel anymore.
The ones remaining - himself, Obito and Rin included - were told that Konoha could no longer afford to look after them any more as the resources they possessed were limited and room was tight in the hospital. It seemed that while Kakashi was fighting his own war with the protectors, the world above him was also at war. Konoha had apparently saved them but in truth they were chucking them out to fend for themselves. Only this time they'd have freedom.
Wasn't that what Kakashi was fighting for? Freedom? But the truth left a sour taste in his mouth, for someone who'd been kept prisoner for most of his short life, he didn't have a clue how to fend for himself, let alone look after his two companions.
They were dying. His family were dying. He was dying. Everyday there was less food, there was no shelter from Konoha's cold nights. Everyday their clothes were a little less clean and everyday was a struggle to survive, to earn money, to steal the food they desperately needed because their faces were too easily recognized after a month of pulling off the same tricks.
Konoha - who had once welcomed their return home with loving arms and caring words was now turning a cold shoulder to the ones who had lost their way in the world.
All of them were slowly decaying but it hurt Kakashi more to see Rin and Obito suffering because Kakashi wasn't good enough to protect them. He had to do something - anything - to ensure their survival.
The first time a man cornered them in an alleyway, separating Rin from the two others and tried to rape her, they were too shocked to know what to do. Rin was screaming and crying and none of them had even heard about rape before, but they knew that what was happening was wrong.
Kakashi was the first to spring into action, kicking and punching the man in a full frontal attack, dodging blows coming his way at every chance he got but he wasn't good enough. The man grabbed him and flung him hard into a brick wall and then he knew he wasn't capable of protecting anyone as he stared at Obito's slumped form, trembling in fear and shock. Kakashi needed to get stronger.
He could hear Rin's screaming echoing, loudly bouncing off of the tall, dirty walls. He had her up against the wall and she couldn't move now and Kakashi couldn't move and he knew it was the end.
And then there was a flash of yellow and the rapist was on the ground shouting obscenities at the man pinning him there. Kakashi recognized him as the first man he'd seen when he'd been rescued from the underground.
His blue eyes - so different from Kakashi's - radiated warmth and comfort and everything the three of them had needed for so long. It was cruel of him to dangle it in front of them when they couldn't obtain it.
Two other figures jumped into the alley way but Kakashi paid no attention to them, his gaze directed solely on the man in front of him. Pulling himself up he made his way to grab Rin by the arm, pulling her roughly away from the adults - adults were bad - and to sit by a shocked Obito.
He stood in front of his family - he needed to protect them - and glared menacingly at the other three people who had arrived; he made a good job of not giving a glance at the scum who had now been knocked out on the floor.
"Thanks for the help kids, we've been after this one for a while now."
The blond spoke in such a calm way. It made Kakashi furious. How could he speak without a care in the world when Kakashi could barely keep himself and the others alive?
The female of the adults roughly picked the unconscious man up and slung him over her shoulder.
"Minato, we're gunna take him in before he wakes up, we'll meet you there?"
The blond nodded and smiled his acknowledgment before the two others disappeared. He looked back at Kakashi.
"You did well, you've got a lot of potential, what's your name?"
He glared at Minato, he wondered if it was a good idea to mention his name. He figured it wouldn't do any harm.
"Kakashi."
The man smiled. "Well it's nice to meet you Kakashi."
He held out his arm for a hand shake but Kakashi didn't quite understand what the gesture meant so stood his ground. The arm was retracted when Minato realized he wasn't going to get a response.
"Well...anyway I'm sure you're friends will be fine, there was no harm done," he nodded and made his way past the three of them but stopped in hesitation before turning to look back. "Are you ok? Do you have any place to stay?"
Rin opened her mouth to speak up but Kakashi beat her to it.
"Yes we're fine."
"Ok then," he turned around and took a few steps and Kakashi wanted to roll his eyes when the other stopped once again and turned to talk to them. "Look, ugh.." He shook his head. "How old are you guys?"
There was a tense silence before Kakashi replied.
"Seven."
"Well you're old enough to enter the academy if you've ever considered becoming a shinobi...it's free and well, we need all the help we can get at the moment. New recruits mean a better future...and all that..." Minato seemed hesitant, his words trailing off and his speech unsure. "From what I've seen, Kakashi, you have great potential. We could use you."
"I won't go anywhere without Rin or Obito."
Minato looked at the children's scrawny stature and tattered, dirty clothes and nodded slowly.
"They can come to. Just think about it, yeah?" He didn't expect an answer so instead he left them in a blink of an eye.
And with that, life continued.
As time went on and food became scarce for even the people with respectable jobs, things started to get really hard for the three of them. No one helped them at all anymore - before there would be the odd person offering them food or shelter - but now no one could afford it; the war had really taken its toll. They were wearing down and Kakashi had to do something. He had to keep them alive.
He thought back to the man they'd met that day. Minato. A plan formed in Kakashi's mind and it was then that he decided to take up the offer about joining the academy, it meant that they could defend themselves and it would give them hope for the future. He would learn later that once graduated, they'd be able to earn money.
But until then Kakashi needed to get them by, keep them safe. He thought back to that day, that rapist. Did men like boys as well? Could he get food or money in return for letting men do to him what that man had wanted to do to Rin?
He'd studied some of the women who hung around this area at night. They'd exchange sexual favors for various things; most of the disgusting men called them whores. The drunken old perverts would shove wads of cash into their hands when they were done and it looked like a lot to Kakashi. He needed that money. Could Kakashi do it? Could he be like those women? Could he offer his body to keep them alive? Yes. He could and he would he decided.
Under the cover of darkness, when the other two were asleep, sheltered under a small fort made of filthy cardboard boxes, he stealthily sneaked away. It was freezing and he could see his breath as he jogged towards the nearest popular area where the whores generally advertised themselves. He couldn't stop shivering as he stood and leaned against an icy brick wall, and it wasn't just from the cold.
Peering around him at the run-down street, he could hear the thumping of music and see the flashing neon-lights. He stood there for three hours, his eyes sore and his body weak from exhaustion and lack of nourishment before he got his first customer. He was surprised anyone had propositioned him in the first place; it wasn't like he was trying very hard. He really didn't want to do this and he was still hesitant as he followed the man into a nearby alleyway, the mans rough hands pushing him face first in to a small hidden alcove.
Kakashi was frightened to the core but this needed to be done. They needed to survive. He was sick to the point of throwing up and the drunk man was dirty and he stank and his clammy hands were grabbing at Kakashi's exposed flesh, groping him and licking him.
Kakashi's first time was rough and it hurt. It hurt a lot and it took all of his willpower not to scream and thrash and push the man away as he pounded into his ass as he was taken up against the wall. Do it for them. Do it for them. Do it for them. The same four words chanting over and over in his mind.
When the man was done he handed Kakashi the cash and walked off. He slumped to the ground, the pain in his behind searing but he still needed more money. He still had until daylight.
The rest of the night was much the same; wet mouths running along his skin, his neck, his back and thighs. The sound of flesh slapping against flesh every time they pushed into his ass or mouth. Everything became a blur and every face merged into the next and all Kakashi wanted to do was to throw up and sleep. Or even better, to die. But he couldn't die, not yet. Not until Rin and Obito were safe.
When the dark night sky turned to a deep, murky blue, Kakashi limped back to their makeshift den. He collapsed just around the corner and cried. He sobbed as he let out everything he'd been holding in, smashing his fists into the floor at his blatant display of weakness. He felt disgusting, like he would never be clean again. He was disgusting but he'd made a lot of money tonight. That was one positive thing and he was sure it was the only thing that stopped him from crying and giving up and gave him incentive to get to his feet when he could and face another day.
Standing up, he wiped the tears from his tired eyes, washed himself in one of the nearby public bathrooms and made his way back to his family. He curled up next to Rin, wrapping his arms around her, needing that familiar scent and comfort and fell asleep. If she noticed his trembling body pressed against hers, she didn't mention it.
The next day brought warmer weather with it and as a mutual agreement they all decided to head over to the academy. It was relatively easy to get in but it still didn't provide them with food or shelter so, much to Kakashi's despair, he'd have to keep up his nightly job.
He was perhaps a little happier and relieved when he saw his two friends munching enthusiastically on the warm meat he'd bought for them on the way back from the academy. They'd asked where he got the money and reluctantly lied to them by saying a generous stranger had handed it to him and that it was also part of his savings. If it occurred to them that there was not enough money for him to save as it was, they didn't question it. He savored the delicious meal and tried his best to enjoy the two others joyful chatter but he knew once the sun went down he'd have to return to his disgusting, degrading job again.
Years later, when both Obito and Rin had found out they thought they should have known and wished they could have done something. But yet they knew wishing was pointless because the world was cruel, people were cruel - they weren't generous or kind or understanding - they did things to get by in life and that's exactly what Kakashi had done for them.
A/N: Thanks for reading, let me know if you want more? :)