AN: Not thrilled with my writing on this, but I know you have been waiting a while, so just went for it!
Chapter 7
Afterwards Fugaku had called to Zabuza to take Kakashi away to his new quarters. Both snickered as he said this, so Kakashi knew his accommodation couldn't be anything special.
"Oh, and Momochi, it seems our new arrival is an innocent flower- make some enquires as to who would be interested, will you? I want the- ah- deflowering to be worth my while."
Zabuza smiled, showing his sharp teeth. "It will be done, my Lord."
And with that he beckoned Kakashi, who followed him obediently from the room. The young Hatake just couldn't handle anything else today, so he just came along quietly. He knew any sort of resistance or retort would just end in more grief for himself. And after what just happened, how the Uchiha leader had just used him like a common whore, Kakashi was not in the right frame of mind to do anything else. All quips and sarcastic remarks had left him. He could barely think straight, and was convinced his skin was dirty, tainted. He just wanted to be alone.
But even that small luxury was not to be.
When they reached his rooms, a small one covered with threadbare, worn and thin tatami, Kakashi found many servants eating in the room from small wooden bowls of plain rice with a little bok choy. There were five other male servants, whose eyes all watched him with a mixture of curiosity and hesitancy- no doubt afraid of Zabuza.
Zabuza smiled at Kakashi again. "Well, home sweet home, Hatake," to which many gasped when they heard his name confirmed. It really was a Lord coming to stay with them. What a disgrace and insult to his clan! "Seems you're too late for dinner. It would be such a shame to bother the cook now, so you can hang on for one night, right?" He laughed at his own malice.
Kakashi looked around nervously, not knowing what to do now he was here. These men would probably hate him for being a part of the ruling class to who kept them in their place. They would not feel pity for him, who had been born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He also feared that they could see what Fugaku had done to him, as if his skin were marked where he the man had touched him, and he felt even more anxious as a result.
"Well, make yourself at home then, Hatake- and make the most of your night, the real work starts tomorrow, bright and early. You have only this evening to lick your wounds."
And with that the shark left.
Kakashi hovered awkwardly for a moment longer, then headed to the furthest corner from the others and sat with his knees pulled into himself. The room was much too cramped to house six of them. It would certainly be tight when they were all laid out of the tatami at night. If they were to stretch out they would certainly touch each other.
In his chosen corner, Kakashi curled up, trying to focus on only his breathing, not making eye contact with any of the others. A vast range of feelings was overwhelming him. He felt disgusting and used, because of Fugaku. Sore, weak and humiliated from Zabuza. Unsure of Itachi. And both hope, gratefulness and disappointment when it came to Obito…. He knew he had tried to save him, but he hadn't… he had made it sound like everything would be alright… and it wasn't… it never would be again.
And he didn't even want to think about Minato.
Kakashi Hatake was a joke. Someone to be scoffed at even by the lowest ranks. Even by servants.
A small cough interrupted his dark thoughts. Kakashi became aware that he was gripping his knees to hard that they would bruise.
"Erm, here," a young man said, who couldn't be any older than Kakashi, maybe a year or so younger. He had brown hair and large dark eyes, and politely held out his own bowl to Kakashi. "You must be hungry."
He was and he wasn't. He didn't feel like eating, or doing anything for that matter. But his stomach felt empty. Kakashi shook his head. "Thank you, but I'm OK. You go ahead and finish your food." Kakashi knew that rations might not be particularly generous around here, so the last thing he wanted to do was take their share for himself. He had always taken for granted the nutritious diet he had been used to previously, with meats, fruit, fish, vegetables and good quality rice. He imagined that in the winter the servants has little more than some cheap, boiled rice, rather than the fluffy white, soft stuff Kakashi was used to.
The young man smiled disarmingly at him. "I insist. You must have been through a lot and travelled far. Please, eat."
He was being so kind that Kakashi didn't want to risk offending a potential ally among the servants, who would be his new companions. Obito certainly wouldn't be allowed to speak with him anymore, considering his new lowly status in the house. The thought made his chest tighten.
So he took the offered food and slowly began to eat. It was rather tasteless, but he was so starved and weak after his travelling, beating and humiliation that he couldn't care less.
After a few bites Kakashi thanked him and passed it back.
"You are very kind…"
"Yamato."
"Yamato." Kakashi repeated, and nodded his head to the boy.
"Are you sure you won't eat more, Hatake-sama?"
"No… thank you but I can't eat anymore… and best not to call me 'sama', thought I appreciate it. I don't Zabuza correcting you. I am a servant now." He nearly added, 'and a whore', but managed to stop the words slipping from his trembling lips. He couldn't cry. Not here. Not in front of these servants. That would be the final shame for his clan.
The other servants weren't even pretending not to listen, and were openly staring at the exchange.
Kakashi looked at the floor.
That was when the door slid open once again. As Kakashi glanced up, all the servants immediately fell into a low bow.
"Kakashi!" Obito said as he knelt down in front of the silver haired boy. He hesitated only for a moment, when he realised that he was looking into Kakashi's face, his beautiful pale face.
"Obi- Uchiha-sama," Kakashi corrected himself, bowing too.
"No, don't," The raven said as he took Kakashi's hands and pulled him up. He hated this distance that had sprung up between them in the space of a few hours. "Please don't greet me such respect, I don't serve it. I came here to apologise. I told you you'd be in the army, or merely held hostage-"
"It's not your fault," Kakashi said quietly.
"But-"
"What has happened can't be undone. I-" Suddenly, he felt so overwhelmed he couldn't continue. Instead he tried to turn away, but Obito caught his chin. Despite all that had happened, he felt his skin tingle and his cheeks turn pink. The other servants were still bowed, but they strained to hear every word.
"I will speak to my uncle again, I promise. Maybe in time-"
A bark of laughter made them freeze. Framed in the doorway, was Zabuza. Hi eyes watered as if he were holding back his laughter at Obito's words. "Uchiha-san, your uncle has requested that you refrain from leaving your chambers tonight. If you do not return immediately I shall have to inform him."
Obito reluctantly pulled himself away from Kakashi after giving one last, long look.
Without another word, Obito left with Zabuza, leaving Kakashi to make up his uncomfortable futon, and the covers over his head so that the others would not see his tears. That was how the heir to the Hatake clan spent his first night as a servant of the Uchiha.
