My Saviors

By Akizu Miko

Chapter 7: Affliction

'Happy Birthday to me' I said to myself before drifiting off again.

'...without sasuke'.

-

"Akizu I love you"

What? Where is this coming from? I'm not sure where I am or whose talking to me. A voice so familiar; so calming yet I can't recall.

"Happy Birthday"

I could feel a light pressure on my forehead. Something like a kiss. I tried to move closer toward whatever it was.

It wasn't working.

What was wrong with my body i couldn't move anythng. Not even open my eyes which put me in a panic.

The pressure left as fast as it came and it seemed i was in a trance. I rubbed my eyes.

I was just dreaming...I guess. I push this 'dream' to the back of my head and look around the room. Today is my first full day of being thirteen since my birthday was yesterday. I stretch my arms and look down at my pretty dress. It's the emerald and black checkered one Sasuke gave me before he left. It is my favorite dress and I wore it all day on my birthday...and i guess fell asleep in it.

"Oh Sasuke..." I let out a breath i didn't know i was holding in. I felt a weird pain in my chest.

I'm not stupid, i'll tell you that right now. I know he's gone for who knows how long. I could see it in his eyes. Besides that he said that he'd be training with a strong man. Who am i to stop him? He's doing exactly as he pleases and has left me with a care taker.

I wouldn't dare ask for that much. It'd just get me in the way even more.

...I'm thankful though.

"I'll give him three years to 'train', i promiss i'll drag him back for you" Sai said from the doorway of my room.

He was serious you could tell by the way he stared at me. He does that to make you uncomfortable i've found out. Although this time it was reassuring.

I look to him for a second or two and then lazily glance at the edge of my bed.

A dress...

"Sai...did you..." I pointed to it while looking at him blankly. He walked over and held it up infront of me. I was dumbfounded.

"No. So he didn't forget" Sai says while placing the beautiful saphire cap sleeve dress in my lap. I pushed him away.

"Sasuke'd never forget! Stop talking about him so poorly" He backed off as I said that. My face was a tint of red, i was going to cry.

But I held it in.

I should be happy. Sasuke clearly brought me this dress for my birthday...that dream. I guess it wasn't a dream.

I smiled to myself and hugged the dress while my caretaker stood in the middle of the room. I felt a switch go off inside me. I had more problems then i knew.

"Get out"

He did as he was told for once.

I sat in my bed and took off my dress. The door was still open but I didn't care. This new dress Sasuke had given me had detailed embroidery along the bottom hem and the cutest little sleeves. It fit me nicely. I reached for my arm braces and secured them to my wrists. barefoot i 'walked' out my room. I could hear that idiot coming in my direction.

"The floor is cold" He says as he kneels infront of me with over the knee tights that are white with saphire bows. Exactly matching the dress i'm wearing.

He puts them on me one at a time. Sometimes I question his sexuality.

Surprisingly he didn't try any funny business while pulling them up to my lower thighs. He was sorry I take it.

"It's okay" I give him a pat on the head while he's still kneeling. My fingers sift through his hair and make there way to the side of his face.

"I still have you right?" I smile as my hand drops from his face and i continue on to the kitchen.

I see my breakfast is already made and on the table so i sit down and begin to eat.

"Yesterday was nice" i could hear him say while in another room. Probably the spare one he was using. He came out two minutes later with his drawing pad.

"You're actually showing me something you drew?" I carefully took it from him.

"It's from your birthday" He sits next to me as i stare at the mini masterpiece.

He is very very good at drawing. "It's beautiful Sai" I finished eating.

"Really..." He didn't look too interested.

"Let me see more" I stood up with my braces and 'walked' toward his room.

"There's nothing to see" He followed close behind me and opened his bedroom door. I ignored his comment.

His room was somewhat of a mess. But an artsy-neat mess. There was open scrolls on the floor with dragons and gaurdian lions sprawled across them. Some charcoal drawings hung on the wall. Other then that he really didn't have anything personal in here.

I turned to look at him; I wanted to sit on the floor. Without words he knew this. Somehow he was able to read what I wanted most of the time. It's difficult for me to sit on the floor from a standing position even with help. He sat me in the corner after placing a pillow on the floor.

I held some sketches in my hands. Most of them where abstract things; i couldn't tell you exactly what i was looking at. I looked up at him standing over me with another sketch pad.

I gave a small smile as I took it and he left the room to do who knows what. I looked to my side and saw a cute little book on the shelf next to me. Of course i opened it. I heard the kitchen sink go on.

"Let's see here..." There was two boys...They looked nothing alike but it seemed they were strong; defeating demon thingies. The way they were drawn made me feel lonely and sad. It reminded me of those rainy days i'd sit and wait for Sasuke to get home.

"I don't recall saying you could see that one" He says coming in the room and sitting infront of me; he took the book out of my hands.

I looked down in shame.

"Who is he?" I pointed to the book and then began playing with my fingers in my lap, concentrating on them like it was important.

I don't think he's going to answer.

"...My brother"

"Oh..." Well i certainly had no idea. "Where is he?"

"Dead" The way sai said this...it just annoyed me. He said it matter of factly, but when i glanced at his face for a second i actually saw an emotion other then apathy.

Indifference

This was a breakthrough considering this was Sai. His indifference was almost a small sorrowful smile.

"It's okay...you can cry if you want you know?" He went to stand up and while looking down at me he picked me up and sat me on his bed. My legs hung down on either side of him with my arms at my sides.

"Don't be ignorant little Akizu, we weren't related by blood..." That sly devilish look took over all his features. He placed a finger under my chin forcing me to look at him.

"That doesn't matter" I tried to hide the quickening of my heartbeat. He was up to something. But there was no way he could know I was in the same boat with my 'brothers'.

"You're so naive" He said while moving his hand off my face.

"I'll figure it out" He leaned over me, way too close and the fact that our bodies fit together like a puzzle didn't help.

"Stop it" I didn't move. I don't think i could, my hole body had this weird feeling.

"You like it" I guess he knew what i was feeling. Even though i didn't.

"I'm 13! I don't know what i like!" I raised a hand to his chest to push him off, which only sucessfully put me back on the bed as my other arm gave out.

"I'll show you"

God...He knows.

"Everything you like"

...I didn't take my pills yet. I couldn't even put up a struggle.

I've just become a teenager and already what a sad excuse for a human I am.