Disclaimer: I do not own the series Naruto nor any of the characters.
Silence engulfed the lantern lit area of the entertainer's quarters. Not unusual, but not common as seta notes or drunken laughing usually muffled through the neighboring rooms.
Sasuke trekked through the halls with a singleness of purpose. Morning, though still lit by artificial light, had brought the Uchiha to wake and seek the company of someone. Training was postponed to noon.
He came upon the desired door, but found it strangely locked. His gaze narrowed, as it was uncharacteristically unlike Tsukiko to lock her door.
"Tsukiko," he called with a deepening frown. There was someone else within the room. He called her name once more while reaching for his blade before the door abruptly opened and a man attempted to make a run for it.
Before he could blink the man was forced up against the post of the door with a blade to his throat. Sasuke cocked his head to the side with a cold glare. The rat that he held up was nothing more than an insignificant watchman that he surprisingly recognized. He could feel the man shaking in his grasp. "What were you doing in there?" Sasuke asked slowly in a low tone, pressing the blade harder against the intruder's jugular with each passing syllable. A murderous intent permeated through the air, originating from Sasuke.
The man's eyes darted from Sasuke's reddening eyes to behind him, into the pitch dark room. He attempted to speak, but only broken syllables stuttered out. Fear gripped the insignificant ninja as he tried to speak for his life, but nothing but mumbles came out which only served to increase the Uchiha's anger.
From the neck, the prisoner began to bleed from the opening wound and he gave a very audible squeak in fright. His breathing quickened and eyes shut in terror.
Sasuke was set on killing this scoundrel until he caught a voice.
"Sasuke..."
As if the single, feeble voice held control over him, Sasuke dropped the man in question without a word and rushed into the dark room. His red eyes darted around until he noticed the outline of a form on the ground.
Her arms were bare and hair sprawled every which way across the tatami flooring. His eyes widened as he quickly knelt down to cover her bare back.
"Sasuke?" She repeated and inched upwards, lifting her bandaged face up to him. She smelled his distinct scent and felt his palm lightly press upon her pale cheek. Her smile was weak before she collapsed into his torso with her arms around him.
He felt as if her breath passed through him while her skin pressed tighter to him. Her hair fell to her sides, barely brushing the rough ground beneath them. Slowly, his hesitant hands wrapped around her bare back, enclosing her to his chest in the process.
Gradually tears fell from eyes, soaking into Sasuke's cotton top before being seen. She locks away her pain, but like every jar, it begins to overflow.
Every night that the moon is out, the beckoning lantern is lit outside Tsukiko's room. This is a signal for anyone to enter at their own desire, by Orochimaru's decree. From experience, oracles are thought to live only twenty years. With Tsukiko hitting nineteen and reproductive maturity by Kabuto's standards, they want the next generation.
A preference was never given on who would be the sperm donator, as they would not receive any special honor. Orochimaru just desired a replacement for the soon to be mother.
No longer could Tsukiko set foot out in the sunlight or even leave her room. The neighboring women brought her food and clean clothes by orders. Her check-ups became daily and in the evenings there would be visitors. This would continue until the desired result.
Watching the candle was her sole occupation these days. In the morning, she would relight it to allow a single comfort in the room, after Kabuto came to un bandage her eyes and give her a check-up. She would have twelve, lonely hours to herself, staring at the burning filament; before night fell and a woman would come to blind her once more in the darkness.
Tsukiko still felt the flicker of the flame against her naked fingers. Silence effulged the room and darkness battled the single candle for dominance. Why would the candle try so hard when it was inevitable that the darkness would succeed in the end?
She muffled the candle, in the end, sensing that she was no longer alone in the room. She smelled the lasting whips of smoke pass by her nose before disappearing all together.
She took a breath but before she exhaled the breath it was taken from her as she slid to the other side of the room like the lifeless doll that she was. All that omitted from her mouth was a series of pants as she felt the dried grass mats beneath her palms.
"You gave up fighting years ago, ne?" Her eyebrows knotted together, she had heard the voice before.
"You're smart," whoever he was came closer, "you know that if you scream." She felt a thumb press against her wind pipe with the rest of the fingers encircling her throat. "No one will care."
Tsukiko gasped as her hands instinctively gripped the hand that imprisoned her. Her nails dug into his hand, but he wore a metal covered glove. She knew the voice, the glove, the abuse.
Unconsciousness was knocking to enter, but before it entered she felt herself being tossed away. Shoulder made contact with the floor, but she didn't even have the pleasure to voice pain. A coughing fit overtook her as she curled herself up on the ground. Her piece didn't last because she felt her hands forced together by his while the other began undoing the obi that held the yukata together.
"Kabuto..."
Thank you very much for reading! I give a special thank you to Abandon All Hope for reviewing my last chapter. Thank you so much and I hope to hear from more people this time.
-Sin