Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto.
Anime ain't nothin' without flashbacks.
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"You're becoming a man," Koharu had said, briefly touching the serial code on Sasuke's upper back before resting her hands on his bare shoulders. The mark was fresh, having just been tattooed. This marked his new status. He was no longer a child freeloading. He needed to earn his keep.
"Yes," Sasuke said softly, trying not to tremble.
"I take it you understand what that means," she spoke, tightening her grip. He knew. Right away he knew. She didn't have to say it, but she did. "You'll be entering an auction tonight," she continued. "Remember the rules."
Sasuke closed his eyes. He remembered them perfectly. They've been ingrained in his head since long before his fifteenth birthday, which passed mere days ago.
First, no tears.
Second, no protesting.
Third, no screaming.
You need to sit back and take it because a slave's life isn't worth much if they aren't making money. The rules must never be broken.
"Here," Koharu said, handing him his plain, light blue robe. He put it on gladly. Clothing was a luxury slaves were often not given, but at Villa Joy, those trafficked were allowed simple robes.
Villa Joy. An ironic name for such a terrible place.
That night Sasuke clenched his robes desperately, holding the thin fabric tightly against his skin as he was ushered on stage. Men gawked at him, jeering and watching his every move. Koharu spoke to the crowd, proud to show off her investment as she announced his name, age and virgin status. One of her underlings disrobed him and his stomach tightened. He wasn't sure if it was the cold air or if it was because he felt everyone's eyes on him. Nonetheless, he remained stoic. He knew the consequences of falling apart. He needed to be perfect. So he stood still and listened as the price went higher and higher. He listened to men try to one-up each other with bids of dirty money until one man came and finished it. Villa Joy did well that night.
"Ten million ryo," he said and no one wanted to compete with that.
"Going once… twice…" After a pause, Koharu gave a satisfied smile. "Sold to Danzo Shimura."
Sasuke shuddered at the name. It was the name of the man who leads the country. He heard it before and he knew how cruel the man was. He heard countless stories. For a while, stories were what kept Sasuke entertained. They were always terrible, but he took comfort in knowing they weren't his stories. Unfortunately, he knew they soon would be. He would be just another helpless victim in a world where those without status don't matter. All he would have are stories, but unlike other slaves, he would keep these stories of shame to himself. He would never dare speak of the inhumane humiliation forced upon him and to those who asked, he would give them a callous smile. Or so he promised himself, but that changed. As time went on, one grows numb to the constant exploitation and violation. Sasuke was no different. The words now come out with weary ease.
Sasuke picked up his robe and was shooed offstage. On his way out, another boy was making his way onto the stage. He shared a brief look with Sasuke as he passed, offering him a tight smile. It was a look Sasuke didn't understand at the time. A smile in such a situation. How queer.
His room was prepared. Scented candles were lit and the air brightened. Sasuke sat on the bed, once again clutching the robe to his skin. His fingers were clammy and he was shaking. He felt sick.
When Danzo entered, the doors were closed and Sasuke was alone with him. Sasuke couldn't bear to even look at him. He remained stiff, but warily conscious of the man as he approached. "I don't like boys," Danzo said, grabbing Sasuke's chin and forcing the boy to meet his stern gaze. "I like soft bodies… but you'll do… You're quite beautiful. It will be fun to break you in."
Sasuke didn't dare blink. If he did, he knew he would break rule number one. Danzo smirked, easily able to read his mind. "You can cry if you want," he murmured, letting go. "It won't make a difference… and I don't mind a few tears."
Sasuke tried to breathe, but it got stuck in his throat and came out like a gasp.
"You're scared," Danzo noticed, "but it gets easier."
However, that is what Sasuke feared. He had so much pride and it often got in the way, but his pride was slowly disappearing along with his dignity.
"I paid a lot of money for you, boy," he said coldly. "The least you can do is answer me when I speak to you. Humor me."
"I'm sorry," Sasuke whispered, body rigid.
"And speak up," Danzo demanded, reaching for the tie on Sasuke's robe. "There's nothing worse than a mumbler."
"Yes, sir," Sasuke said in a flat, even tone. He remained still as his robe was removed and he remained still as he was left bare and touched by a man for the first time. A palm was placed on his chest and he was pushed onto his back. He stared into empty space, trying to distract himself from the roaming hands and probing fingers.
"Open your legs more."
Sasuke complied, burning with humiliation. His breath hitched as his body was invaded. He let out a sudden, pained moan, gripping the bed sheets tightly. Then suddenly, the pain was gone. He let out a quiet sigh, trying to ready himself for something much larger than fingers.
"Virgins," Danzo muttered. "It's always the same."
Sasuke closed his eyes as the stinging sensation took over the lower half of his body. Sasuke let out a shout followed by a series of sharp gasps, choking on each breath he took in. "No…" he whispered pleadingly, holding back a sob. "No, I can't…!"
"Cry," Danzo told him.
And Sasuke did. It's all he had left to do. His body felt like it was on fire and every inch of his inner and outer being ached. He pressed the back of his palm over his mouth and let out the first shuddery sob. He felt tears swimming freely from the corners of his eyes, falling down the sides of his face. Nothing mattered now.
That night, he broke every rule and come morning, he was punished for it.
"You broke the three rules," Koharu said to him when it was over. "That's three strikes"
"What does that mean?" Sasuke asked hoarsely, though he knew already. By then, he was no stranger to the horrible rumours floating around.
"It means," she started piteously, "that we'll be introducing you to the Red Room."
"N-no!" Sasuke immediately shouted. The rumors taught him what to expect. It's how he first heard about the Red Room – the place to punish slaves. The Red Room – a room so stained with blood it will never be clean. Soon, his blood would be staining the floors as well.
"Are you protesting?" she asked venomously.
"No," he said, meekly this time.
Koharu whistled and a moment later a large man came into Sasuke's room, hauling him away. His limbs felt heavy as he was dragged to his feet. He felt like he was in a daze. He felt like he was trapped in an even worse nightmare – one he'd never escape. He feared the endless cycle it would inevitably become.
He was taken to a dungeon in the basement. He was stripped down and chained up. The floors were cold and stony, as were the walls. He could hear screaming in the distance, but he tried hard to block it out.
A stranger entered the room, leering at him and smiling devilishly. He kneeled down and looked Sasuke in the eyes. "The last Uchiha…" he whispered in awe. He reached forward and touched Sasuke's face, his lips, his chin. He ran his hands down Sasuke's smooth, naked chest and let out a pleased sigh. Sasuke never cursed his name more than in that moment. "I hoped I would be able to get my hands on you. My name is Dosu, not that you need to know." Sasuke couldn't bring himself to answer the sadistic man. Instead, he continued to talk, not minding Sasuke's silence. "Some people enjoy the fighting spirit, but not me," he said as he injected a substance into Sasuke's arm. "I prefer to subdue the slaves and force them into a weakened state. You see… I'm not particularly strong and that can be troublesome… The screams, on the other hand, I adore."
Sasuke slumped onto the floor, breathing shallowly as he was forced to accept his fate. By the end of the visit, he was lying on the hard, cold floor – covered in his own blood and vomit as well as the bodily fluids of the man torturing him. When he lost consciousness, the visit was over. They left him like that until Koharu's underlings returned. When he came to, he was being hosed down. Buckets of cold water were carelessly thrown over him, shocking his system back into consciousness. He wanted to shout, but his voice wouldn't come. His eyes hurt from crying. His throat felt raw from screaming. His limbs were sore from being beaten. He never felt so ugly and rotten. Hands scrubbed roughly at his skin with cloth, trying to rid him of the mess, but Sasuke already knew this was something he'd never be free of. No matter how clean, he'd always be dirty.
The hands were anything but gentle and his wounds stung even worse. They burned and continued to bleed, eliciting frustrated murmurs. "Bring the healer," he heard a voice say.
Another bucket was thrown over him and he was left alone. The floors were cold and he ached fiercely. All he wanted was for it to be over, whether it meant dying or being saved. Nonetheless, neither happened. Instead, a young woman entered the room with a medical kit. She kneeled beside him and started cleaning his cuts. Her gentle hands shook when they touched his bruised skin and Sasuke forced his eyes open. When stared up at her, he realized she was crying. He softened his gaze, unable to find it in himself to be angry. Instead, he cried with her. He felt miserable, hopeless and wholeheartedly expendable.
As the healer worked, the click of heels could be heard in the hallway. Someone was approaching and when they entered, they snapped, "Shizune, stop your blubbering! I need him to be unblemished and I can't have your emotions getting in the way of important business. Fix him." By then, Sasuke's eyes were closed again. It hurt too much to keep them open. Nonetheless, he knew that voice. It was Koharu. She entered the room and kneeled down. "I hope you've learned your lesson, Sasuke. It pains me to have to punish you like this." Sasuke's breaths come in heavy as Koharu tilted his chin up, forcing eye contact. "Are you sorry?" she asked him.
"Yes," his voice came out ragged.
"Then say it."
"I'm sorry," he croaked.
She smiled down at him, rubbing her thumb over his cheek. "Good. Be better next time." Without another word, she left him in the care of Shizune.
"I'm sorry," the brunet woman whispered weakly before dabbing rubbing alcohol onto his cuts before applying ointment. They stung, but Sasuke didn't have the energy to even shudder.
The following day, Sasuke roamed the hallways in a daze and entered the dining area. He forewent food the previous day, unable to stomach more than a glass of water.
In the kitchen, he saw a familiar face picking at a plate of lettuce. "You… you're the one who smiled at me," Sasuke said. The words came out raspy, his throat still felt raw and his voice was hoarse.
Again, the other teenager smiled at him. It was false and flat, but the gesture was appreciated nonetheless. There were bruises on him as well, though they were none compared to the ones decorating Sasuke's skin. "Indeed I was."
"What's your name?" Sasuke asked.
"Sai," he said, holding out his hand.
The first thing Sasuke noticed were the missing fingers, but he didn't question it or cringe. Instead, he clasped the boy's hand. "I'm Sasuke," he introduced himself. "How do you deal with it?"
"How do I deal with what?" the other teenager questioned, tilting his head to the side.
"The abuse…" Sasuke whispered.
"It's a fucked up world we live in," Sai had said. "All we can do is hope for something better because dreams and wishes are all we have in here. We don't get a choice. If you want to stay alive, you need to have hope. Take the abuse with an empty mind."
Take it with an empty mind.
'Til this day, the words still hold truth for Sasuke. There are nights when he can't sleep and he'll think of the past. He'll remember being free. He'll remember Kiba and that little blond boy who tried so hard to keep him safe. Sasuke would do anything to thank him, even though he didn't succeed. Knowing how hard he tried made Sasuke feel like he was worth saving. He'd give anything to feel like that once more.