So this must be chapter 4, ne?
Yes, let's stick with chapter 4 - because in all honesty I know its 4…just a bit slow today and can't be bothered to back-space…
Thank-you loads for the reviews! They really do mean a lot… (Although I really wouldn't mind more…you know…keep me happy…so I write more…) and thanks to those who took the time to write to me and tell me how wonderful it was!! You guys mean a lot to me! Big Hugs!
On with the story!! (Also this one is a bit depressing, and some seriously creepy/perverted Orochimaru-ness…so I apologise now…if anyone cries…I'd consider it good writing…so let me know if you do… (insert evil laughter here)…
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Chapter Four
Sasuke looked up at the large building ahead of him.
A place he could call a prison…one that only minutes ago his brother had told him he could leave…yet for a certain blonde dobe, Sasuke had decided to go back…but he couldn't seem to escape the nagging, sinking and sort of haunting feeling that swam through him that all wasn't suddenly about to go so smoothly anymore. He couldn't be that lucky.
It was already bad enough luck that Naruto had been unwell and had to leave, otherwise the both of them would have already been gone…and the idea of it, it even made Sasuke's lip twitch into a overjoyed smirk. A genuine one. Not one that showed he was okay, a real smirk. It made him shiver…and shiver in a good way.
He pushed open the door, not for one second letting go of Naruto's back-pack, and slipped off his shoes, lining them neatly against the other three pairs that were there…Wait… Sasuke looked back. Three pairs? Three?
"You're late, Sasuke-kun." The voice hissed, and suddenly the shiver was no longer good anymore…that shiver almost made him want to puke.
Obsidian eyes turned upon a tall, looming figure that stood rigid to the foot of the stairs, eyeing him cautiously with glowing, golden orbs, and a stern, unhappy expression. One that Sasuke immediately connected with the same look of discontent he had whenever something went wrong with Naruto's…sessions…
Sasuke really did feel sick to his stomach. The Snake was back - and so soon.
"I got held back by a teacher. Then I missed the train I usually catch and had to wait for the next one." Sasuke's skills at lying had been perfected by then, though the first part had been a lie, the second had not…though he had been set back slightly…just not by a teacher.
Orochimaru seemingly slithered eerily over the wooden floor and came to stand ahead of Sasuke who stared up at him with the same look of indifference, that same famous blankness, a glare ready in those ebony eyes if need be (and there was usually a need be when either Orochimaru or Kabuto were involved).
Orochimaru leant closer to Sasuke, who remained as rigid as his oppressor had been as he'd stood at the foot of the stairs. The Snake's long black hair felt smooth against his cheek, he could feel white hands as they ran teasingly through his hair, but he remained unmoving. He didn't even cringe as he felt that tongue against his earlobe, his balled fists held the shudder at bay, and remembering that he still held Naruto's back-pack…which reminded him of Naruto (not like he really needed to be reminded).
"That's good, Sasuke-kun." Hissed The Snake, his lips still hovering at Sasuke's ear, his fingers clutching tightly onto the back of Sasuke's hair, almost tugging, but the stoic boy bit his tongue and held back the urge to seriously do some damage, something Naruto had told him many a time he'd fought back the urge to do so…but Naruto didn't talk like that much anymore.
"I'm sure that you're eager to go and see Naru-chan." Sasuke didn't reply, though he felt the fingers uncoiling from his hair, but those chilling lips were still at his ear, he could feel the cold breath against his skin, it made all of the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. "He's in his room, he'll be awake shortly."
The Snake stood away from Sasuke and turned his back to the inwardly unnerved boy. Sasuke gave Orochimaru one last glance before looking towards the staircase and headed towards it. Half way up, he was stopped by a hissing voice that called after him, almost so casual it was sickly…
"Oh, and Sasuke-kun…I'd like for us to have a session tonight…since Naruto is unavailable." Sasuke couldn't help but shudder that time after hearing that horrid, cruel laugh. A laugh that only existed to haunt him and Naruto. A laugh he knew would never leave him - for life.
He didn't say anything, only continued on up the stairs and towards where Naruto was, ever step that he took closer to the room Sasuke felt relieved, he knew that his one and only most important person was near by, and he would be together with him soon. It just didn't feel right being apart from him.
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Naruto was still a little groggy when he sat up in the bed. His head was thumping, Kabuto had told him that would stop in a while, and left him only moments ago after leaving some pills and a glass of water on the bedside cabinet for him to take in about an hour or so.
Naruto felt awful, but in all honesty he could barely remember what took place from the time when the pain in his chest had begun until he'd woken up there, hours later…and there was no Sasuke. It was empty without him. Very empty.
Feeling sore all over, like he'd just been through another one of his sessions with The Snake, Naruto sat forward in the bed, his blank eyes staring thoughtlessly down at the white sheets that covered him, feeling the cruel smoothness of the duvet beneath his fingers, and wondered when Sasuke would be back. Naruto wasn't sure what time it was, he didn't have a watch and usually counted on Sasuke to tell him, so he didn't know if Sasuke should be back yet or not…but by the looks of it outside, he was either on his way or -
The door opened smoothly to his left. Naruto's sluggish joints tediously turned him in the direction of the door, his eyes widening and brightening as they settled upon Sasuke, his pale face warming at the sight of a smirking Uchiha as he entered the room, clutching onto the strap of his back-pack.
"Hey, dobe." Sasuke said half-heatedly as he walked over to the bed after shutting the door. He placed the back-pack down by the desk and continued over to a pale Naruto. He still seemed slightly shaken…yet Sasuke even had his doubts that Naruto could remember what happened, and his suspicions of this were correct.
Naruto put on a fake pout at the mention of that much disliked word. Sasuke's smirk was still upon his lips, his dark eyes looking over Naruto's feeble form as he sat limply within the bed that seemed to large for him. Sasuke ignored the putt out lip and sat on the side of the bed, his fingers tracing delicately over the back of Naruto's hand.
"You doing alright?" Sasuke wondered, for some reason he couldn't bring himself to look at Naruto in the eyes, no matter how much seeing those azure orbs entranced him, he couldn't do it…not after recalling the tears, all of that pain that Sasuke knew that he had to remember…it sounded stupid. He knew that it happened, all of that pain was sometimes daily for Naruto…and he tolerated it and put up with it like it was nothing…yet when Sasuke was faced with Naruto in pain he was useless, he couldn't do anything, he felt awful and he couldn't handle it…he didn't want it to be real, but there was no way that he could escape that…it wouldn't be possible, he would always remember.
"Mhm, I'm fine…" Naruto said with his usual broad everything-is-okay grin. He saw that look on Sasuke's face and he didn't like it. It was a look of fear, and something that somehow frightened him, it was distant and made Naruto feel slightly left out. His brows furrowed slightly, in worry more than anything…though he loved the feeling of Sasuke's fingers as they ran in circles over the back of his hand. It felt soothing.
"You…you gave me a fright…today." The words seemed to be seeping out with difficulty from Sasuke's mouth; his brows too were knitted together, at his own stupid fears, as he allowed his fingers to coil around Naruto's, and unbeknownst to him he squeezed harder than he'd intended… Naruto only squeezed back.
At the squeeze he finally looked up and saw that distant look in Naruto's eyes, and those dim azure eyes that stared at him, filled with sadness and fear, and also worry. Worry for Sasuke.
"I'm sorry, Sasuke…I…didn't mean to -,"
Sasuke launched towards Naruto and wrapped his arms around the boy's neck, his fingers holding onto the golden strands of his hair, but not hard enough for it to hurt…he would never hurt Naruto. Sasuke pressed the side of his face to Naruto's, feeling the heat of the other boy's flesh against his as Naruto's arms finally settled upon his back, holding him weakly, his body still sluggish.
"Don't, Naruto." Sasuke whispered. "Just don't." Naruto didn't know what he meant, but felt Sasuke's arms tighten around him and he simply held the usually conserved boy back. That was somehow unusual for Sasuke…or at least the way that he was acting was rather than his actions.
"I…didn't mean to -,"
"No, it wasn't you…its not your fault…it never is…"
"Sasuke -?"
"I wish I could tell you that I'll never let him touch you again…I wish I could tell you that everything was going to be okay soon…but…I…" Sasuke paused for a moment. "One day…" Naruto suddenly ran through with sadness at the mentions of the impossible, his fingers clutching onto the back of Sasuke's black school jacket. "I'm so sorry, Naruto."
"It's…not your fault either, Sasuke." Naruto reminded him. Sasuke heard the words and he pondered over them…Orochimaru did a lot of things just to spite them…and what if…what if The Snake does this to Naruto because he knows that's how to get to me? The once so promising thoughts of Itachi were now out of his mind…somehow, the sound of running away was wrong. It was Orochimaru they were talking about, and already he was back in town…they wouldn't be able to get away with much anymore, hardly nothing, no matter whatever the Hell Itachi and that blue-skinned guy were up to.
Sasuke held Naruto tighter. He wanted them to get away then, to find Itachi and just get away. But running away, that wasn't even an option. If it was that simple they would have done it a while ago.
"Sasuke?"
"I know, Naruto. But still. I'm sorry…sorry that you have to go through this alone."
Naruto laughed slightly at this, catching Sasuke off-guard. "I'm not alone." Naruto stated simply. "As long as I have my precious person, I can and will put up with anything." They came apart, and there was that much loved fox-grin that Sasuke knew Naruto so well for, those strange scars either side of his otherwise smooth face scrunching up at he looked at Sasuke with somewhat cheerful eyes…Naruto was a frighteningly good actor.
Sasuke cherished what Naruto had said, he was glad that Naruto was so strong, that he lived by such a thing…but that wasn't the point. The point was that neither he and certainly not Naruto should have to put up with that type of abuse. It simply shouldn't be happening. Sasuke was aware of that much at least. He couldn't care less that Naruto could put up wit it…he shouldn't even have to.
Yet Sasuke admired Naruto for his bravery. He endured so much more than Sasuke could imagine, and although he thought about it all the time…he knew that he wasn't as strong as Naruto…that if their roles were switched (which he'd prefer) he wouldn't have been able to cope - precious person or no - he probably would have killed himself.
No, there wasn't even a probably. He would have killed himself.
"I'm going to go get you some food, okay?" Sasuke said as he pulled his arms away from the smaller boy. Naruto smiled at him. That fake yet somehow wonderful smile, and Sasuke gently pressed his lips to Naruto's forehead, relishing at the momentary contact.
Naruto nodded. "Okay." And he watched Sasuke leave.
With Itachi's face plaguing his mind, Sasuke rummaged through the kitchen, his brows furrowed, clearly preoccupied. The appearance of his brother had been the happiest thing to happen to him in years, and yet he found himself filled with doubt and he knew that some harder times were ahead. The fact that Itachi had shown up like he had…not only was he not the Itachi that Sasuke remembered him to be, but he was something more, he was more than Sasuke's brother now, wasn't he?
Sasuke wondered why he hadn't immediately mentioned it to Naruto as they had seen each other…but he realised that he had his own reasons, they may have been subconscious but they made sense. He didn't want Naruto to feel pressured in anyway to have to come back to school, he didn't want Naruto to feel bad that Sasuke hadn't already taken the opportunity to leave because Naruto wasn't with him…and if Naruto wasn't with him at the end of the week, Sasuke would not leave him.
Naruto either went with him or he would never find out about the meeting between Sasuke and his brother…they would wait for a few more years maybe before Itachi could figure something else out…Itachi wasn't one to give up, he would rest in the shadow's observing for a while, but he would never truly give up.
That just meant that Sasuke would have to watch Naruto suffer for a few more years…the thought of it made his heart wrench in his chest. He never wanted that to happen. He wanted it to stop, he'd wanted that for a very long time now, but it couldn't be so, could it. What Sasuke wanted and what could be done, they were two completely different things, and both so painfully clear to Sasuke. He was well aware of his boundaries and his limitations, Orochimaru liked to remind him.
Food was soon available to Naruto, and Sasuke had solidly decided against saying anything to Naruto about seeing Itachi, it would be easier that way. He re-entered the bedroom with a tray and a bowl of Naruto's favourite kind of ramen, only to look up and find that they had been joined by Kabuto, who was talking quietly with the distraught looking boy.
Sasuke felt his grip tighten on the tray and his jaw hardened as his teeth grinded together. He watched them - no he glared at Kabuto, his obsidian eyes shooting kunai at him, demanding with his mind, inwardly ordering to know the reason for the intrusion. Kabuto took one look at Sasuke as he was talking with Naruto, took in the death-glare and smirked, standing away from the bed.
"I'll be back a little later on, Naru-chan. Take care of him Sasuke-kun; he'll be out of school for at least two weeks at the rate that he's going unless you treat him well."
Two weeks?
"Aa." Sasuke growled, glaring at Kabuto as he left the room, making sure that the medic shut the door behind him, before he turned his head back to Naruto, after hearing what he thought was a slight snigger. "Naruto?"
"Your face looks the best when you do that, Sasuke." Naruto smiled half-heartedly. Sasuke nodded his head, feeling slightly foolish and placed the tray on the bedside cabinet.
"Here, I brought some miso. It's the instant kind, there wasn't much else there." Sasuke told him, watching Naruto's face and that comforting fake smile. But Naruto didn't look at Sasuke; instead he looked down at the sheets ahead of him. Sasuke knew that look of guilt, a look that he often saw upon his own face. One that he hated seeing on Naruto's.
"Thank-you, Sasuke." Naruto said, but he found it hard to say. His hands balled as they gripped onto the sheets. Kabuto had told him something he would rather not have known…he wondered if Sasuke already knew.
"What did four-eyes want?" Sasuke said, almost bitterly as he took his place at the foot of the bed, crossing his legs ahead of him. Naruto had anticipated this question to be sure, but did he really want to say anything? He was going to find out, or he already knew…but somehow Naruto didn't want to be the barer of bad news…especially since he was the reason for it.
"What did Kabuto say to you, Naruto?" the worry wasn't apparent in Sasuke's voice, he usually did his best to hide most emotion from his face and voice - in fact both of them were quite skilled at it - yet Naruto knew that annoyed appearance to be one of concern, maybe one of fear.
"He…" Naruto began, unable to stop himself. He didn't want to hide anything away from Sasuke. "He told me…he said that because…because I'm not well…that Orochimaru would be seeing…you tonight…" He couldn't look up at Sasuke, he didn't want to have to gaze up at that hurtfully blank face and know what he was feeling without seeing it on his face.
"Aa. I know." Sasuke replied, slightly relieved that it hadn't been something worse. Naruto looked towards him, eyes broad.
"So you knew already?"
"I didn't want to worry you."
"But - but, Sasuke - he…its different - what he does -,"
"Naruto." Sasuke said firmly at his friends worried stuttering. He looked towards him and put on that its okay smile, his eyebrows angled apologetically. "It's okay. It's nothing worse than what you have to go through…" He looked away again. "Take this time and rest up, don't worry about me, seriously, I can hold my ground."
"But, Sasuke…" Naruto's voice had quietened, his eyebrows angled much like how Sasuke's had been moments earlier. "I…I don't want…I don't want him to touch you…not like that…"
Sasuke glanced at Naruto wide-eyed. He didn't even know that Naruto knew what now went on between him and Orochimaru now that he was no good for experiments. No doubt Kabuto had told him. How much did Naruto know?
Sasuke felt even more disgusted with himself than usual. The fact that Naruto was none the wiser, that was what kept him sane before, he'd go through it, knowing that it was okay as long as Naruto never found out…as long as Naruto thought they were in the same boat. Sasuke suddenly felt the urge to withdraw; he uncrossed his legs and brought them up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them, his chin resting atop. He didn't look towards Naruto; he looked down towards the ground. He hadn't felt so disgusted in what felt like forever.
Naruto watched Sasuke as he seemed to try and distance himself. He couldn't know what Sasuke had been through…he couldn't know what he was still going through or what he had been thinking in not telling him…how he'd been so strong as to hide it away from Naruto for so long. Five months - that's when Sasuke's proper experiments had stopped, Orochimaru had even celebrated it by marking Sasuke with a tomoe on his higher left shoulder…Naruto could remember the look on Sasuke's face that night, his shoulder burning with whatever chemicals Orochimaru had pocked into him while creating that unnerving black mark. It must have been after then that the other type of abuse begun.
Naruto wouldn't lie. He didn't know very much about that type of abuse, in fact he knew very little, but since he'd found out a few days back he'd been horrified by his thoughts and what thoughts may be running through Sasuke's head…things that Sasuke had gone through that Naruto couldn't understand.
Orochimaru really would do anything just to make them miserable.
The tension between them became thicker, but Naruto didn't want to leave the matter where it was. He wanted Sasuke to talk about it, he knew that talking was supposed to help, though it was mostly something they did very little of, since both of them knew from experience what the other was going through…but not anymore.
Sasuke tried not to think much about it. It never really got very far, those sessions were created to scar him mentally more than anything, the things that Orochimaru would tell him as well as make him do, they were enough to make anyone sick…but Sasuke's blank face gave him the perfect mask, and he would wear it thickly whenever such events took place.
But he had never wanted Naruto to know.
Hearing Naruto shuffling towards him, Sasuke couldn't bare it, he couldn't bare his touch, not then, and with one liquid motion was off the bed and heading towards the door. He honestly had nothing to say… yet he didn't want to leave Naruto either, but that silence, it wasn't an okay silence...it was awkward and tense and Sasuke didn't like it.
Again Naruto watched Sasuke as he left; wanting to call after him, but it pained him to move to much, his fingers just brushing passed the collar of his jacket as he moved away. Sasuke didn't look back at him as he headed towards the doorway, but he did speak. He said, "Get some more sleep, Naruto…I'll see you in the morning." And was gone, shutting the door behind him.
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Once outside Naruto's room, Sasuke struggled to keep himself from falling to his knees, he was shaking, and shaking rather violently, his whole body trembled. It was something more than fear.
His cold bed awaited him when he entered his room. The sheets were crisp against his skin; the window had been left open since yesterday, resting against the bars on the outside that kept him prisoner. He looked to the window and decided to keep it open before he went into the bathroom that was attached to his room.
He undressed, and his whole body continued to tremble, even as the steamy water hit him, running down the pale flesh of his carefully scarred body. If there was anything that Orochimaru didn't like it was a visibly damaged toy, and visibly damaged was something that Sasuke was not.
Accept for those nasty little scars that adorned his wrists, ones that Orochimaru relished at punishing Sasuke for. Scars that Orochimaru certainly wasn't happy about…but that was why Sasuke loved them so much. His little rebellion, something that made Orochimaru angry, and Sasuke liked seeing The Snake angry or even annoyed, it made him feel slightly better about things. But it was seldom that they ever saw Orochimaru in such a state.
He had never really been afraid of those sessions before. Disturbed and disgusted, but not really afraid…but now Naruto knew. Something else for Naruto to feel guilty for and Sasuke didn't want that…Orochimaru knew so much, he knew how to get to them so well, he knew how to break them…but Sasuke, he wasn't broken, he wasn't a toy - he wasn't a possession.
No matter what Orochimaru did he would never be broken and he would continue to fight. Naruto had lost that fire a while ago it seemed. Maybe he'd even grown up like that…Sasuke hadn't the heart to ask Naruto about things that happened before he'd arrived. Sasuke didn't even know if Naruto had been alone before he'd come along, and if not - what had happened to the other one?
Sasuke didn't want to know. He'd shrouded away from his past and Naruto hadn't really inquired about it, so for some reason Sasuke had never thought to ask Naruto about his past…but he knew Naruto, he knew him well enough.
Naruto was someone that Sasuke couldn't easily get out of his head. Naruto was someone who had suffered something that he couldn't really understand, though he did have his own share of tragedies…ones that lead him to Orochimaru and Kabuto. Ones that lead him to Naruto.
His reflection in the steamed up glass seemed hideously pale, his cheeks seemed hollow, his eyes staring blankly at that picture of himself, and he had to restrain himself from throwing his fist towards it in a fit of rage.
He was totally useless. Or at least that was how he felt…that was how Orochimaru made him feel. The only way he could really be of any use was keeping Orochimaru away from Naruto, and before that had meant experiments and injections and being blinded for a few days…but it was all worth it as long as Naruto was okay. And even now, the things that The Snake had him doing, they were worse that the experiments but not in the painful way.
Sasuke knew this was more than just sexual abuse. It was mental torture. He did it to Sasuke to mess up his head…and then after a while, he went ahead and got Kabuto to notify Naruto of the new kind of treatment that Sasuke was receiving. He did this to hurt the both of them. He told Naruto so that he would feel guilty and so that he would feel slightly abandoned, and he did it to Sasuke so that he could feel even more disgusted and disturbed. He did it so that Sasuke would get angry.
Sasuke was angry. Sasuke was very, very angry. Angrier than he had been in a long time.
I'm not his damn toy…I'm not his damn, fucking toy! That bastard! Who the fuck does he think he is?! How can he possibly think that he's going to get away with forever!? I'm not anyone's toy! I don't belong to him…I don't…
The words circled in Sasuke's head, slumped down onto the ground, sitting on the white tiled floor as he listened to those words, his face a true picture of misery…and Itachi was almost completely forgotten, he couldn't save them. He couldn't save the both of them.
With the towel around his wait, Sasuke slid himself over towards the bath and rested up against it as his head slumped forwards, water dripping from the tips of his ebony hair as it draped over his eyes. How could things have gotten so bad?
Maybe he was broken? Maybe, deep down inside he had given up and he was only working off a memory, his thoughts making him think as if he was rebelling when in fact, he actually did nothing at all. He sat there, he looked defeated, and everything pointed towards it, that maybe The Snake had actually broken him? Maybe he'd been broken for a while?
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That blank look, his empty eyes, they remained with him until later on that night, when The Snake had requested that he come and join him. Sasuke had gone, escorted by Kabuto, neither of them saying a thing to one another until Sasuke was let into the bedroom.
Orochimaru was sat at his desk when Sasuke entered, his blank eyes hadn't even noted where he was, let alone who he was with…I am broken…aren't I… it was a depressing truth, not a question. Even as he heard The Snake slither towards him, able to hear the smirk and that quiet yet cruel laugh.
His body tensed as he felt cold white fingers against his throat, running attentively along his jaw line. Sasuke looked into those golden eyes, those bizarre snake-like eyes that had gotten away with tormenting him in his sleep for a few years, and he shivered.
Big mistake.
"What's wrong, Sasuke-kun?" Orochimaru whispered, an evil laugh in his voice. "I thought that you enjoyed our time together?" his lips were at Sasuke's ear, the boy clenched his jaw shut as he felt the older man's body press against him as he was backing away, soon hitting a wall. He felt that tongue as it tasted his earlobe, slimy and unlike any normal tongue as it slithered along his jaw-line. His head rested back against the wall, eyes looking up into those gold ones as The Snake's hair fell around them.
"I thought you liked to spend time alone with me?"
Sasuke said nothing, still gazing blankly. He'd not flinched or cringed in a long time, not since the first night it had begun…and yet there he was, in such a similar situation as he had been then, backed against a wall, The Snake's body pressed against his own… such a similar situation, yet so different.
The unfortunately familiar tongue suddenly forced itself passed Sasuke's lips, almost suffocating him, his eyes broadened and that feeling of total and utter disgust flood through him as his fists balled against the wall, feeling himself being shoved harder against it. His chin caught between The Snake's thumb and fingers he was unable to move his face away, that tongue sliding around inside of his mouth, his breathing hastening and shortening…but The Snake seemed fine, enjoying it, in fact.
Sasuke wanted to bite that tongue.
He wanted to bite down so hard that the blood would fill his mouth and the damned thing would scream in pain. Sasuke wanted to be able to spit that damned tongue at its owner and punch him so hard in the face…he wanted to hear Orochimaru scream, wanted to see him squirm…but the sick truth was, that if Sasuke did bite down, Orochimaru would most likely enjoy it.
When Orochimaru did pull away for breath, it wasn't near long enough, and moments later that tongue was back again, as forceful as ever, as hands touched and clawed at Sasuke's body, wanting to remove those clothes from his toy. Sasuke, unable to breathe, still held his ground; he wouldn't aid The Snake in anyway.
Then Sasuke did something that he didn't know he had it in him to do. One last try.
With his right hand balled powerfully into a tight fist, he pulled it back as far as he could, Orochimaru's fingers fumbling with the buttons on his shirt, and with one whip of his arm, and a large crack, his fist collided with The Snake's jaw, and sent him fumbling backwards, away from Sasuke.
His fist throbbing, Sasuke's dazed, suffocated mind made him light headed. He dropped to his knees, breathing harshly, but quickly realised what he'd done and quickly struggled to get back onto his shaky legs. He'd not looked to see where Orochimaru was or even if he'd fallen, he only knew that he wasn't atop of him anymore.
His arm reaching out for the door handle, his mind thinking for the moment instead of for the future, fingers just about gripped onto it, but two powerful arms lunged at him, and grabbed him from behind, yanking him hard backwards. Then he heard that laugh again, that horrible, cruel laugh that he knew too well.
His chest was rising and falling heavily, he struggled awkwardly against the unusually powerful arms that held him, the laughing in his ear. Orochimaru licked the blood away from his lip. He would admit that the punch had surprised him; he thought he'd long had Sasuke under his thumb. He held a struggling Sasuke against his chest as he loomed over him, not about to let go, no matter how the oxygen-starved boy fought against it. He continued to chuckle. This was rebelling different, and he liked it.
"Now, now Sasuke-kun…" he hissed, leaving one arm to hold the boy around the waist while the other tugged on the back of Sasuke's shirt collar and dragged it down, revealing a smooth and unmarred back, along with that nice little tomoe that Orochimaru had placed there himself…the day that you really became my toy, Sasuke-kun. My useless, little, broken toy…
"I was going to go easy on you tonight…but you've blown out that flicker of kindness in me, and provoked something more…" Orochimaru ran his tongue down Sasuke's throat, and his fanged teeth bit down hard into the flesh were the black tomoe was.
Much to Orochimaru's delight, Sasuke whimpered, and whimpered rather loudly, eyes clenching shut as the blood wet The Snake's lips, and ran down Sasuke's back. He may not have been as special as Naruto in Orochimaru's mind, but he sure came in handy for amusement of pretty much any kind, and all so suddenly the amusement for the night had changed…Orochimaru wouldn't let Sasuke get away with that one.
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Naruto lay awake that night, listening to Sasuke's screams.
He was being beaten; Naruto knew that, something Orochimaru never usually did…but that was what was happening. Sasuke was being punished, and punished heavily for something…he had probably stood up for himself.
Naruto was too weak to move, he wanted so much to go to Sasuke's aid, yet when he had woken his body enough to be able to get out of bed, he got to the door, only to find that he had been locked in. He knocked on the door for a while, calling for Sasuke…knowing he was only a few doors away, his heart was breaking…how could he have let Sasuke walk away without saying anything?
Naruto wanted to go to Sasuke's aid. He wanted so badly to be there, take the beatings with him, but he was useless, he could do nothing that would be able to save Sasuke, he wouldn't be able to help him… he couldn't do anything.
No matter how hard he hit the door, no matter how long he cried out for Sasuke, nothing came of it, Kabuto didn't even bother coming along with his syringes to sedate him…nothing, he wasn't even worthy of a reaction.
All night he sat at his bedroom door, just listening, hoping that Sasuke was okay, hoping with all of his shattered heart that Sasuke was alright…he knew that he couldn't be…he knew that Orochimaru was ruthless, that he did everything with precision and a picture in mind…Sasuke wasn't going to be okay when Naruto would see him next.
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Two nights later, Sasuke woke up.
Groggy at first, he allowed his blood shot eyes to search tiredly around him. He couldn't move his body, it felt heavy and sore, his head was throbbing and he could hardly keep himself awake…if not for the sound of soft breathing beside him, Sasuke would have drifted back to unconsciousness.
He turned his head to look aside, able then to feel the warmth of the body as it pressed gently against him, fingers intertwined with his own, arm clinging onto his, even in sleep. Naruto looked peaceful as he lay there beside him upon the sheets.
Sasuke remembered what happened. He could remember why he was in pain, why his face was sore and why his right arm was broken and in a cast. He could remember what he'd done and what he'd said and how Orochimaru had reacted, and he could remember all that Orochimaru had said to him, and all that he had told him about what he planned on doing to Naruto…
Sasuke didn't want to remember.
He looked blankly at Naruto's sleeping face a little longer. Watching the smaller boy with more sadness in his eyes than there had been for longer than Orochimaru had liked…the eyes of a broken toy. Empty, never really seeing the truth just accepting. Sasuke didn't want to accept, but he did and would all the same…or Naruto would pay for it…
Naruto stirred slightly in his light sleep, Sasuke continued to watch him, saying nothing…he only wanted to get up off that bed and crawl into the corner, to shut everything out, shut it all out, to distance himself from Naruto…to make it harder for him to be hurt…but he couldn't do it. He wouldn't move, but Naruto woke up all the same.
His tired azure eyes settled upon Sasuke's black ones as they looked emptily upon him. Naruto was worried for a moment, those eyes, they did not look like living eyes, they looked dead. But he calmed as Sasuke blinked, and smiled apologetically, his brows raised slightly as his lips curled into a small smile.
"Ohayo, Sasuke…" Naruto whispered, feeling Sasuke's fingers as they clenched around his own.
"O…Ohayo, Naruto…" Sasuke's voice was hoarse; his throat dry after his long night's sleep. He still gazed upon Naruto expressionless, but he was glad that Naruto was there, none the less. Seeing Naruto's face, no matter how much pain he felt in his mind, it comforted his heart.
"I've missed you."
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That had to be my favourite chapter yet.
It was mildly disturbing, enough to make my best-friend cry (she's sensitive like that), and I honestly hate Orochimaru for what he did to Suki-chan! But it had to be done…
There's some more disturbing stuff happening in the next chapter. Yes folks it gets worse! Get ready for some Naruto-ness! Let us all feel sorry for them both and be glad that it's not happening to us since Orochimaru-sama isn't actually real…(at least lets hope he's not…shudder)
Please read and review for me! This chapter took me forever to write because I kept on stopping and starting. It wasn't supposed to end this way, but it got longer and more stuff started to happen. In fact, what happens in the next chapter was supposed to happen in this one!
Let me know what you think!!