A/N: I read somewhere that July 10th is SasuNaru day. Even if it's not, or even if no one else celebrates it on FF dot net, I'm doing this for my OTP. Go SasuNaru!
Warnings: references of kidnapping/confinement and slaughter, angst, slash, implied sex of dubious consent, and mental distress.
This is going by FF net's M rating, meaning not suitable for those under sixteen.
four walls
Gentle murmurs and soft kisses. Hair brushed back with spidery fingers. Metal clinking as it shifted. Naruto kept his eyes shut through all of this as Sasuke left. When the door snapped shut, his eyes snapped open. He waited a heartbeat, and then slid out of bed, placing his feet silently on the cold stone tiles. This was the morning routine. Sasuke probably knew that Naruto was awake to hear his goodbyes, but he never mentioned it.
Naruto stood shakily on one foot, scratching his ankle with the toes on his opposite foot. He walked to the bathroom, the clinking traveling with him. He showered slowly, wishing away the pain in his back and the queasiness in his stomach as he stood under the hot water. His afflictions obligingly relieved a little.
It was a bad day. Naruto could already tell. On bad days, his mind lingered too much on the past, on what had been and on what could have been, should have been. On bad days the present pained him. He shook his head to clear his thoughts when he started wondering about what life would have been like as Hokage. He stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around himself, holding it close like a warm reassurance. He dressed and itched his ankle again. The anklet was irritating. He had pleaded with Sasuke to remove it, protesting that he would stay, that he didn't have anywhere to—no. It wasn't good to think about it too much. What was, was. He was here with Sasuke, and nothing was going to change that fact. He was happier if he reminded himself of that.
He decided to go outside. The garden overflowed with flowers and scents. The little sanctuary was reachable only through his room—Sasuke's room.
The small enclosure was his special place. Here, he had no bad memories. He had been rewarded with complete control over the space. It got plenty of sunlight over the short surrounding walls, and there was a water spigot and a watering can. Naruto was pleased with this small bit of control. He decided what was planted, and he took care of what grew. Almost like a little leafy village of his own.
He fetched the watering can from across the garden and filled it with water, beginning to tend to his plants. He kept his eyes to the ground as he walked down the neat rows. Once, he had gazed at the sky and had wondered what would happen if he climbed over those walls. Once, he had considered leaving this place. Once he had looked, but now he didn't. Not since he had tried it.
The watering didn't take long enough, and too soon he walked inside again for a breakfast that had been delivered while he was out. He ate quickly, wanting to leave. It was with relief that he set down the silverware and walked outside. He had tried not eating, but it hadn't ended well. Sasuke liked him to be well taken care of.
Naruto sat down in his garden. He had taught himself some time ago to sit and think of nothing. He supposed it was like meditation, but he wasn't concerned about that. All he knew was that it helped him throw patches over the thoughts that haunted him. He sat in silence and cleaned his mind, but it insisted on becoming messy again. Unwanted thoughts cluttered his consciousness. But, he had known that today was a bad day. Still, he persisted, and his efforts were eventually successful. He fell into a daze.
A hand brushed his cheek, and his eyes fluttered open. The sky was much brighter. He had been sitting for quite a while if Sasuke was back already.
Sasuke smiled his strange smile that had never made its appearance during their childhood. It seemed to speak of an inner glow that warmed him when he was around Naruto. It made Naruto's insides freeze. On the other hand, Sakura would have loved to—no. No, he wouldn't plague himself with her ghost. That was from that time, and that time was over. He had to focus on the present. Presently, Sasuke offered Naruto his hand to pull him to his feet. Naruto accepted, as he knew he should. Sasuke's smile grew a bit.
When they started walking, Sasuke's smile turned apologetic. He placed his hand on Naruto's lower back. Naruto flinched, but didn't pull away, as Sasuke's fingers brushed over the soreness. "I was too rough last night, wasn't I? I'm sorry. Tonight I'll be gentler."
Lies lies lies. Naruto didn't reply. He let himself be led back inside. Sasuke glanced down at their feet, taking satisfaction from seeing the Uchiha fan charm dangling on the metal anklet. It was reassuring. He wanted others to know to whom Naruto belonged, and he wanted Naruto to remember, too. The small reminder served a much more practical purpose, too, by absorbing chakra. The functional trinket was the only reason he let Naruto walk around freely without him. It had been unfortunate, before he had purchased it from the Snow Country merchant, because he had had to keep Naruto locked up. He didn't like having Naruto imprisoned. Naruto hadn't liked that very much either.
He slipped his arm around Naruto's waist as they left their room, pulling him closer. No matter how sure he was of Naruto's inability to leave, he couldn't help being a little cautious. He didn't want his beloved to get hurt. Better to watch closely when he could.
Naruto shivered a bit as the arm slithered around his middle. It was a bit frightening to be so close to his captor, even when he knew Sasuke wouldn't try anything. He still hand't gotten used to it, even after two years. He tended to blame that on the first few months, when he had been kept in that damned cell. It wasn't uncomfortable at all, but the walls covered in strange seals had surrounded him, closed in on him the entire time. He hadn't been allowed to leave, either. He still had the occasional nightmare.
"Come on," Sasuke urged. Naruto had been staring off into space, and was resisting movement. Sasuke frowned when Naruto nodded and started walking, silently. He rarely spoke anymore, and that bothered Sasuke. He had fantasized, back before he had brought Naruto here, of an energetic and excitable Naruto bothering him while he worked. It had been something he looked forwards to, oddly enough. Naruto had yelled a bit while he was locked up in the room with the chakra-repressing seals on the walls, but he had eventually quieted down, and, when he came out, he was the nearly silent Naruto that now followed behind him. What if he had found the chakra absorber before he brought Naruto to live with him? What if he had taken more time to comfort Naruto in that room? What if he had spared Naruto's village until after he took Naruto, so the boy hadn't stewed in guilt? There were too many questions, but none would do him any good. Besides, a compliant Naruto wasn't too bad. He didn't run away, and he did as he was told. At least, he usually did. A small resistance would surface now and again, but it never lasted long.
Sasuke opened a door and they entered the dining room. Lunch was already set for them. Sasuke smiled his chillingly warm smile again when Naruto poured tea for him. Things like this pleased him. The advantage of an obedient Naruto was most definitely that he did little things like this, small acts that he knew Sasuke would appreciate.
He watched Naruto sitting composedly on the cushion, eating delicately. He had made sure to impress upon Naruto the importance of table manners early on. Now, Naruto was quiet and docile like a well-trained pet. Sasuke concluded that any way Naruto acted would be fine with him, as long as Naruto remained his. He cupped Naruto's face in one palm, stroking his cheek gently. Naruto stopped his lunch and looked as Sasuke, waiting to see if Sasuke wanted anything more from him. Sasuke gently gripped Naruto's chin and pulled him over to steal a kiss. It was soft at first, innocent, but then he tilted his head and pressed forward, requesting entry into the other's mouth. Naruto gave it freely, feeling numb. He knew what this could lead to, and he still wasn't able to handle it completely. He remained outwardly calm, but his pulse jumped and thudded in his ears. Sasuke eventually let go of him and they continued their meal in silence.
Sasuke enjoyed the time he spent with Naruto, even when they didn't speak. He found it relaxing, and it was a welcome break from his work as the Otokage, a position he had won shortly after killing Orochimaru and Itachi. The Sound Village had flourished during his two years as Otokage, and it continued to grow. The village no longer depended on outside sources to sustain itself, and the education had gotten better, leading to stronger ninja. It was nearly unrecognizable as the pitiful collection of young children recruited by Orochimaru for their unique jutsu.
He thought back to the lifelong goals he had declared in his first meeting as a part of team seven. He had killed his brother. It had seemed almost trivial as soon as he had done it. But, he also lived to restore his clan. Surely, with the destruction of Konohagakure and his control over Otogakure, his clan's honor was restored? That part, then, could be put to rest. But, he still needed to restore his clan's numbers. As he wanted none other than Naruto, that goal was unattainable. But now…now, that didn't matter to him. He had a new reason to live, a love to protect from danger. And he would do whatever it took to keep him safe from the world.
Naruto looked up as the door opened. Sasuke was back for the night. Today had passed like any day. Tonight would no doubt pass like any night, too. Each day Sasuke promised to be gentler, but each day Naruto woke up sore. He had begun to think that Sasuke did it just so Naruto would remember him throughout the day. Of course, the pain wasn't too terrible. It always faded just in time to be renewed.
A natural silence existed between them as they both looked at each other. Sasuke knew what he expected from Naruto. Naruto knew too. Naruto shivered and started fingering his shirt. Should he, could he? He knew how this would end, whatever he did. Each night it was the same. He had to make the same choice: spare his pride by useless resistance, or spare his body (however slightly) by giving up? He had grown used to giving in to Sasuke, grown used to giving Sasuke what he wanted in the hopes of receiving a little more freedom.
The answer came suddenly, in a rush of determination and defiance. What the hell, he knew it was going to be a bad day. Why try to change things? Naruto dropped his hand and stepped back, away from Sasuke and away from their bed.
Sasuke frowned. This again. Such a shame. He was so well-behaved today. Sasuke advanced on Naruto. He knew the blonde wasn't getting away, and he knew Naruto knew, too. But, he was resisting again. Sasuke suddenly lunged at Naruto, but Naruto was prepared for him and skittered away. No matter. If at first you don't succeed…
They danced around the room long enough for Sasuke's patience to wear thin. He was seriously considering breaking his rule about not harming Naruto with jutsu, when Naruto tripped over a chair leg. Within seconds, he was on him, pinning him to the ground. Naruto struggled as Sasuke trapped Naruto's hands abover their heads, his grip iron strong. He tried to kick Sasuke off, but his legs were useless, kept still by Sasuke's weight. He squirmed when Sasuke switched to holding Naruto's wrist with only one hand and began using the other to disrobe him.
Naruto gave up fighting. He knew what would happen. In the end, it was inevitable that he and Sasuke 'make love.' Sasuke always called it that. Naruto hated the phrase and all it stood for. He hated it because it meant pain. He hated it because it meant Sasuke was more twisted that he could hope to fix. He hated it because Sasuke said it to create what was already there.
Naruto loved Sasuke, but he hated this. He hated having to be trapped with what Sasuke had become. He had been such an idiot, it was his fault things turned out this way. When he was young, he had been too childish to admit his feelings. When he got older, he had been too scared. Now, he simply cared about Sasuke too much to admit it. What would Sasuke do if he knew he had hurt Naruto so much all for no reason? What would he feel if he found out he had held Naruto prisoner, when they could have lived together happily? Naruto hated being hurt by the one he loved, but he hated hurting the one he loved even more. Maybe, with time, he could convince Sasuke that he had fallen in love over time. Maybe then they could be happy.
Naruto wrapped his arms around Sasuke's neck as Sasuke straddled him. Sasuke froze at the act—a trick?—but continued without saying anything. Maybe Naruto was warming up to him. Maybe he would one day love Sasuke back. Maybe. Only time would tell.
A/N: I love the boys, and I love the boys in love, but they are both idiots. And so, they have tragic love. Title explanation? Well, I sort of randomly picked it when I clicked the 'save as' button. But it actually is relevant to the story. The four walls are, for Naruto, both the four walls in the garden and the metaphorical four walls that keep him trapped in this situation. For Sasuke, the four walls are the metaphorical four walls that he puts up around Naruto to protect him (in his own warped way) and keep Naruto with him.