Disclaimer- I don't own Naruto.
Sorry for the delay! I lost my flash drive, and I had to rewrite this. also, sorry it's so short! I ended it where I thought it should be ended.
R.I.P. Tequila. You were an amazing flash drive and an amazing friend. *cries*
Enjoy!
"You just refuse to break, don't you?"
Ibiki didn't respond, his head against his chest. Even if he'd wanted to respond, he probably couldn't. The woman ignored this, getting close to his face, staring into his eyes. His eyes were the only part of him that betrayed his strength- the rest of him was terribly emancipated, broken, bruised and filthy.
She traced a pointed fingertip up his broken neck to his broken jaw. He didn't flinch.
"I'm going to have to step this up a bit, aren't I?"
He would've been afraid if he'd felt anything other than pain and numbness. How? How could they step it up? He could still feel the stickiness between his legs, the mark that the last vestige of innocence had been taken from him. He did his best not to think about anything, not the fact that his virginity along with his pride and his health was gone.
Her poisonous lips touched his forehead, and a cold pit dropped into his stomach. Even in this state he knew this wasn't good.
Her finger went up to his hairline, where brown matted hair was plastered to his head. She dug her finger into his scalp, and he had himself a silent chuckle. She'd have to disinfect that finger later.
An assistant handed her something, and she positioned it above his head. Then she slammed down, and an involuntary cry ripped through Ibiki's lips. She was killing him! No, this was worse than death. She dug the screw deeper into his skull and he screamed and screamed and screamed until his voice cracked and blood and tears ran down his face.
Ibiki's eyes snapped open and he choked for a moment before he remembered the cloth he'd stuffed in his mouth and took it out. He'd had horrible nightmares for weeks now, but he didn't want to disturb Inoichi or his family, so he always made sure they couldn't hear him. Wiping the tears from his eyes, he stood up and changed into his clothes, walking downstairs. He'd slept longer than he normally did. It was almost seven thirty.
Tanakai was pacing the floor. "Ino, could you set up shop while I go grocery shopping? I really need a few things."
Ino, who was eating breakfast, pouted. "Do I have to? You promised me I didn't have to today. This is my off day."
"Please, Ino, just for a little while...your father had to go to work early today."
"It's not fair!"
"I'm sorry, honey, but I really need groceries."
"Couldn't I just get them?" whined ino.
"You know I can't trust you with groceries." snapped Tanakai.
"I'll do it." said Ibiki softly. They turned their heads simultaneously.
"Ibiki-san?" said Tanakai in surprise. "You'll do it?"
"Yeah. I have a doctor's appointment anyway. It's no big deal."
"Are you sure?"
He nodded, shifting his weight off of his bad left leg.
"As long as it won't be an inconvenience." she replied hesitantly.
"It won't," he promised. "I should get out more anyway."
She pulled some bills and a grocery list out of her purse and put it in Ibiki's hand, and he realized that it had been months since he'd held real money. He knew he was getting large disability checks every month, but the only thing he did with it was to tell the ANBU to transfer most of it to Inoichi for giving him somewhere to stay.
"Are you positive?"
He gave her a rare smile. "Only fools are positive."
Ino giggled, and Tanakai smiled back. "Take your time. I gave you a little extra just in case you want to buy something for yourself."
He thanked her and left, shuffling his feet slightly. It had been forever since he'd been shopping, not since he still had Idate to shop for. He slowly walked down the street, looking at the pavement the whole time.
Eventually he started paying more attention to the surroundings. Everything was so brightly colored it hurt his eyes, and Ibiki wondered how a sinister ninja village managed to hide under such a festive atmosphere.
Walking wasn't too unpleasant. It wasn't like everyone stared at him or anything. He may have gotten a few stranger looks, but for the most part Ibiki was just another man on the street.
He entered Tanakai's favorite grocery store and purchased the items she wanted, slightly enjoying the different experience. He checked out quickly, as the couple behind the counter spoke obnoxiously slow and smiled at him constantly.
After they bagged his groceries and he was walking away he heard the woman whisper, "Poor thing. Mentally retarded, can't you tell?"
Suddenly a lump rose in Ibiki's throat, and he almost stopped and yelled at her, wanting to tell her that he wasn't mentally ill and he wasn't stupid, but his aquired fear of confrontation stopped him, and he hunched his shoulders and walked on, wishing to every deity that he could think of, hoping he could just disappear.
He paused to look at his reflection in a store mirror and wanted to run back to Inoichi's home and hide forever. He was painfully thing, with his shoulders bent and pointed. He limped, and was dressed in baggy black standard uniform clothing. HIs wore a hat and gloves, and his face was pale. scarred, and drawn, like he'd been starved for a long time. Which he had.
Worst of all, he could see the fear and pain in his own eyes.
I don't like the word retarted, but for the character I felt I had to use it...reviews are love! :)
