Disclaimer: I own nothing, damn it all. I don't own Naruto, belongs to Kishimoto-sensei. Warning: This chapter along with the next few chapters following will have a dark theme and strong violence, read at your own risk.
Fear is only in our minds
Taking over all the time
Fear is only in our minds
But its taking over all the time
From: 'Sweet Sacrifice' By: Evanescence-The Open Door
Chapter 15
Sasuke clenched his teeth as a kick hit him in the midriff waking him from the restless sleep he had settled into only hours ago. He shifted and without a sound escaping his lips sat up to lean back against the wall of the cave. After the last escape attempt, Madara had placed a chakra repressor around his wrist, and had a chakra infused blindfold on him. Why in the hell does everyone have one of those, except me?
His left ankle was cuffed and the cuff was attached to a chain that was attached to a peg in the wall of the cave within reach of where he was. It only granted him enough room to stand. He was at least twenty or so feet from the fire, hard to tell with the blindfold, but he never felt the heat of the fire. Another way to punish me, real inventive Madara.
He'd thought he hurt when he'd first arrived, it was nothing compared to the bruises all over him, or the broken left arm that had been close to shattered as punishment for hitting Madara when he'd last kicked him.
In the last three months he'd gotten tired of fighting Madara physically, but he refused to give the man the satisfaction of hearing him scream or yell in pain. That was not something he would do, he'd bite out his own tongue if he had to.
He knew that there was more to come, Madara had yet to punish him for the cave in of the last cave they were in. They had to move to some other cave where there was only one small other cave down a pathway to the right at the back. That cave had a small pool, a place to bathe. Madara merely splashed him with water, not that he really cared, it was better than bathing with the sadistic bastard watching his every move.
He was stubborn, he would not let this insane fucker get the best of him, no matter what he did or said. He told himself to not react when he heard Madara's voice impersonating Kuro, something he still couldn't ignore.
"Outoto, are you hungry," came a falsely concerned voice. Sasuke sagged against the wall, but refused to answer. He could feel Madara glare at him, not that he really cared since he couldn't see and heard him walk away from him.
He heard Madara's footsteps come back towards him and felt the familiar weight of a ration bar in his lap, Sasuke sat still not even acknowledging it. Madara then walked away again and Sasuke heard him sit down.
"Eat, Sasuke-kun," came that fucking falsely concerned voice again. Sasuke glared through the blindfold and remained still. He was hungry, beyond hungry, he'd had to of lost a lot of weight since he'd been captured. His pain tolerance was pretty high, but that didn't mean he could hold up to the weakness from being nearly starved to death and tortured. He'd eat, but only if he couldn't feel Madara's presence. He refused to let himself die, If I can't escape then I will wait for Naruto, I know he'll find me eventually. Even though a voice in the back of his mind was saying, Hopefully before this lunatic kills me . . .
A few minutes went by and Sasuke heard Madara unwrap a ration bar for himself and something else, eat, then take a drink from his canteen. He then heard him shift before saying something to him, his voice cold and indifferent, sounding more like himself and less like Kuro, thankfully.
"I have decided on your punishment for your last attempt to escape. It should be fun, when I return we can begin."
Sasuke remained unresponsive and heard Madara walk towards the path quickly, his footsteps echoing then growing softer until Sasuke could no longer hear them. Sasuke shifted and grabbed the ration bar using his teeth to open it and then ate it quickly, it was stale, but it was something. He tossed the wrapper towards where he thought the fire was at, not really caring if it got there.
His right hand then ran over the make shift bandages on his severely cut legs, checking to see if they were bleeding again, they were all stiff and no warmth indicating they were bleeding were found. He sighed and regretted it as his bruised ribs protested as well as his bruised throat.
He closed his eyes beneath the blindfold and listened closely for the footsteps of Madara. He never did much of anything if the bastard was heading back or within earshot. He then pushed himself to his feet, using his right hand to steady himself. He had to lean back against the cave wall and take a few ragged breaths to let the dizziness pass.
He hated how weak he felt, his repressed chakra, his painful state, and the lack of decent food along with the torture sessions and the mind games left him feeling more and more exhausted by the day. He wasn't sure how long he'd been here, but it felt like an eternity to him.
He moved the few feet to sit next to the peg where the chain was connected and sat down right next to it, he had memorized it's location and found it easily. He then felt behind him, the reach sending a jolt of pain he was accustomed to through his right side. He felt with already cut and callused, most likely dirty, soiled hands, around on the ground, looking for the crack where the pieces of his katana were hidden.
Madara had shattered his sword after he'd melted it to soften it's structure the first time he'd tried to escape. He'd given the bastard a deep, jagged cut from his right shoulder across his chest and down to his left hip bone when he'd been dragged out of that black abyss of the deep cave.
The reason his energy had wavered so quickly was because Madara had drugged him and because he'd traveled to the other end of the country of Stone to the main mountain. They were near the water, which was why most of the caves had pools, a hot spring was at the top of the mountain. He hadn't been blindfolded until they'd arrive at the cave and even drugged, Sasuke was still a shinobi and managed to remember what surroundings he could make out in a drug induced haze.
He cut his finger open upon grabbing a piece of the blade, but didn't wince nor care, he usually did cut his fingers anyway. His blade may have been melted to lessen the structure, but once it cooled it was just as sharp as ever. He pulled the piece out of the crack scraping his hand as he did so.
He then set to work at his task, trying to cut the damn link of the chain where it was attached to the metal peg. He'd tried the peg, the link to the cuff, and had gotten no where. Why did he try to cut the chain even though he'd failed twice, because he refused to stop trying to escape.
He'd fight the bastard if he'd release the damn repressor, regardless of how much his strength had diminished. He would make it more than difficult to get anywhere near him if he could help it. In the time he'd been there, he'd fought every time Madara touched him, every time he was within reach he would try to attack him. But blinded and weakened by the chakra repressor, he had to focus his energy on not showing he was in pain during the torture sessions.
Another reason he was weakened was because he would be so out of it after being tortured that his mind muddled. He often thought he hear his brother Kuro, Itachi, and then Naruto's voice, works of Madara's jutsu and another one of those secrets to the Sharingan he didn't know about. The bastard could even manipulate their chakra signatures, and he was usually very much out of it when Madara mimicked Naruto, that was what stopped him from noticing the missing signature of the Fox Demon when Madara mimicked Naruto.
None of what Madara said would have any effect on him if he wasn't hearing it in their voices and feeling their chakra around him at the time. He tried to block it out, to ignore it, but it was like a mantra in his head, over and over, and it was always one of them everyday. When you hear something enough times, regardless of how stubborn you are, or how much you know different, you start to believe it. That was how Itachi had convinced him that he should hate his older brother, how he'd convinced him that his older brother was insane and evil. But he was really dying and desperate to save the village, desperate to protect me . . .
Sasuke let out a hiss when the blade sliced through his fingers, they'd lost their grip on the piece when his mind had wandered. He picked it up after feeling for it on the ground. His hand was warm and slick with blood and he wiped his hand on what was left of his pants. He sighed as he thought to himself, How pathetic, I can't even multi-task anymore. Some great Uchiha I am.
You did let yourself get caught by the twisted bastard after all, his mind scolded him. Sasuke just scowled and concentrated on his task. He stopped and listened after half an hour when he heard the approaching footsteps. He put the blade back and maneuvered back to his original place placing his hand at his side on the ground.
Yeah, some great powerful Uchiha you are, you're practically scurrying around like a scared rat, his mind scolded him once more. Sasuke grimaced and when the footsteps were nearly in the cave he calmed his features and went back to the stoic look once more.
Madara walked into the cave and stopped a few paces away and let out a chuckle. Sasuke closed his eyes and clenched his right hand before releasing it because of the pain in it from the cuts. Then he felt Madara's presence as he stood at his feet and then knelt down in front of him. Sasuke opened his eyes to glare, he didn't care if the bastard could see him or not, anger was not something he'd ever been good at suppressing for long anyway.
"Well, it's good your eating." Sasuke flinched very slightly when Madara's chakra spiked and then he felt the familiar chakra of Naruto and his heart jumped into his throat. The bastard thinks I will fall for that when he changed right in front of me, pathetic.
Sasuke tensed at the sound of Madara laughing with Naruto's voice and he shook slightly in anger, his right hand clenched in a fist, oblivious to the pain. Madara then said, "What's the matter teme, aren't you glad I came here to save you?"
Sasuke felt the strong urge to reply since it was a taunt in Naruto's voice, but he clenched his teeth and said nothing. Then Madara said once again in Naruto's voice, this time slight concern in his tone, "You look like hell teme, you need some help there?"
Sasuke let out a low hiss of anger and could just feel the smirk on Madara's fake face. Then the tone of voice changed to cold, hateful, yet still sounding so much like Naruto he couldn't ignore the words no matter how much he told himself it wasn't Naruto.
"Not that I would actually help a traitor, my best friend that tried to kill me and betrayed the village. You turned your back on our home teme."
Sasuke said nothing and closed his eyes behind the blindfold. The clenching in his heart worsened, he knew what words were going to be said, he'd heard them a thousand times. Words he couldn't help but react to, words that pierced his heart regardless of whether Madara was impersonating Naruto or not. Hearing them said in that voice, in a way that Naruto would word it, with his chakra signature dancing across his skin and in his weakened state not being able to block that chakra out or the feelings his words brought up made him truly worry about his sanity.
He tried to think of something else, of the words the real Naruto said to him, words of comfort and condolence, but they were blocked out like always when that voice started to speak again.
"You turned your back on everyone, on me, your supposed love. You don't do that to someone you love baka. I don't know why I always fought so hard to save you when all you ever did was stab me in the back and insult me. You made Sakura-chan cry, you broke her heart, and mine."
Then he felt that warm hand touch his freezing skin and he pulled back but couldn't break the firm hold. He felt his stomach churn in disgust, this was where the impersonation failed, he knew the difference between Madara's touch and Naruto's. Sasuke grinded out in a angry and ragged voice, "Don't touch me Madara."
Madara let go of his chin roughly and pulled back, then Naruto's chakra signature faded and Madara sighed, "You're too perceptive Sasuke-kun, no fun at all."
Sasuke turned his head to his right and scoffed, his stoic indifference had been temporarily shaken by the emotions hearing Naruto's voice had invoked. Out of all of them, hearing Naruto's voice shook him the most. In a few moments he regained his composure and the stoic mask returned. He heard rustling coming from Madara and felt him kneel on his left side making him glare through the blindfold.
He heard a thin scrape on the ground, it sounded thin enough to be a razor blade . . . he felt his blood run cold and knew color had drained from his skin when he heard Madara chuckle darkly. Sasuke knew a torture method that used a razor blade, it was one he'd seen used on a lackey to the snake sannin. He'd been made to watch so that he knew what would happen to him if he disobeyed.
Madara's voice held a slight hint of excitement in it which made Sasuke's stomach churn even more and he shifted uncomfortably away from him only to be seized by his the forearm of his broken arm making him flinch very slightly from the sharp pain that shot up his left side.
"Sasuke-kun, it would seem you already know what method I have in mind, I think this one will do nicely as a punishment for you."
Sasuke closed his eyes and his right hand tensed into a fist once more, but before he could summon the strength to hit Madara he felt the first slow slice of the blade across his left arm, right above where Madara's was holding his arm forcing it to bleed out more. Then his arm was released and before he could react to the pain or think, another cut a few centimeters beneath the first, though longer was made.
Sasuke clenched his teeth as another was made, centimeters below the other. Though his arm was immobile, he could still feel the pain. It was intensified with the nerves in his arm sending sharp jolts through his body from trying to flinch since it was out of his control being broken. Madara stopped just above his elbow leaving at least seven cuts, each longer than the last along his arm now warm with his own blood.
Madara then shifted and Sasuke tensed when he felt the blade cut into his left thigh. It wasn't a deep cut, closer to a thick paper cut really, but it was slow and it burned as it sliced through his skin and pants easily. He felt the slow warmth of his blood slide down his leg even as his left arm throbbed and bled. He didn't flinch when the blade cut deeper, slower, and in a longer cut a few centimeters below the first on his leg. Madara continued, the cuts staying as deep as the first, now feeling like grazes from a kunai.
Soon Sasuke's legs were both covered in lines of blood and cuts that were horizontal, centimeters apart, and from the top of his thighs to his ankles. Then Madara started to crisscross the cuts, a few being long enough to cross three cuts in a agonizingly slow cut across. Then another followed it across in the other direction.
Sasuke was clenching his teeth and his nails dug into the slices in his right hand, but he kept his legs relaxed as much as he could, it would hurt that much more if they were tense. He knew he was shaking from his strain to keep from crying out, but he'd prefer to shake over giving Madara the satisfaction of hearing he was in pain.
Once he felt like every three cuts now had crisscrossed cuts along them Madara stopped and he got to his feet suddenly. Sasuke let a ragged breath escape him and he heard the razor blade tossed into the fire, knew it landed from the low sound of the blade hitting the cave floor. Then Madara said in a amused voice, "Sit still Sasuke-kun, now I have something else to add to this."
Madara turned and walked away from him and over to the fire. Sasuke heard rustling past the fire and was still shaking from the effort it took to not move, to not scream from the searing, piercing, intense pain he felt in his legs and in his left arm. The pain of his nails digging into the cuts in his right hand barely registered as more than a throbbing in his hand.
Madara returned and Sasuke wished he could see, to prepare himself for whatever was coming next, then maybe he would have been able to prevent the sharp cry of agony that escaped his lips without his consent. Salt water, that asshole had poured salt water on his sliced up legs and the cry had left his lips before he could stop it. He bit his lip when another cry threatened to escape from him as the salt water burned it's way into each and every cut on his legs, sending agonizing fire through each and every one to leave him trembling from the effort to not scream.
Madara chuckled darkly and said in a mocking tone, "Does that feel better Sasuke-kun?"
Sasuke let the words slip before he could stop himself, the pain making it impossible to concentrate on holding his tongue.
"Go to hell Madara," his pain and anger laced, ragged voice hissed out.
Madara laughed darkly and said, "I will, but I am taking you with me."
Then he turned and walked away stopping somewhere on the other cave to say over his shoulder, "This is far from over Sasuke-kun. I am having too much fun with you."
Sasuke scowled and took deep breaths to calm himself, an effort to stop his shaking and try and not focus on the pain in his legs. He wasn't going to dry and bandage the cuts or even touch them, it would spread the salt water and possibly peel back his skin if he tried. There was one thing he could do however, even though the cuts were many, they weren't too deep or all that big. He could use up some of the chakra he had to heal them.
If you do that, then he will just add more you know, idiot. Sasuke scoffed and sank back against the wall, he tried to clear his mind, tried to think of anything other than the burning pain in his legs, the throbbing in his arms, the nerves sending shots of pain throughout his entire body, and the beaten and broken state his body was previously in before all that had been added to it.
Before the pain could render him unconscious his mind decided to run through everything he'd been through while he was kept captive. All the words of hate, betrayal, failure, weakness . . . Sasuke tried to block them out, to not allow them to run through his mind in the voices of those that Madara copied. He didn't want to let it get to him, to believe it, but that small part of his mind that did was what made him believe it enough for the words to hurt.
He did know Madara was doing so intentionally, a means of toying with his head and his emotions. But at the same time, the words he said were often what Sasuke had always worried about hearing, especially from the ones that were dead. Out of it all, the physical torture wasn't horribly unbearable, it was the mental torture, hearing their voices saying what he'd always feared they'd say.
Weak, foolish, little brother, you let him catch you. You killed me never knowing the truth. Words he'd heard from his brother Itachi before, but they stabbed at his pride just as much even now. On top of that was the guilt he felt from killing his brother after finding out that he was only trying to protect him the entire time. Even though he knew that Itachi had been dying, he still felt guilty for ending his brother's life. All those years out for vengeance and for nothing, now you feel nothing but regret over it, even though you did him a favor. Pathetic. His mind reprimanded him, he really did feel pathetic.
He couldn't escape, he couldn't block out the words spouted in the voices of those he cared about even though he knew it wasn't really them. He was sitting on the floor of a cave barely hanging onto consciousnesses and feeling pity for himself because he was generally helpless. He hardly fought back anymore, not seeing the need to waste the energy. When did I lose my pride? When did I become so weak . . .
You were always weak, again with Itachi's voice in his head. Itachi's voice was always the one to speak to him in his mind, always the one to point out the flaws he always hated to admit he had. You let your emotions control your life, your guilt, you let those villagers burn, let them die, you just sat there and watched. Then you let yourself become a empty shell because of the guilt you felt over that.
Sasuke clenched his fist, he knew that and he never could figure out a way to block it all out. When Naruto had finally come and dragged him out of the village he planned to fade away in, he was relieved. Someone was saving him, someone cared enough about him to save him from himself. You had to depend on others because you are weak. A former teammate had to save you. Another had to care for you until he came. And now look at you, letting yourself be tortured and letting lies get to you.
Sasuke sighed and wished he would fall into the abyss of sleep, anything to keep the voices in his head quiet.
Teme, what makes you think you don't deserve everything you've been through? You betrayed your home, your friends, your teammates. You killed your own brother, your new teammates all died as well, and you let an entire village and innocent people that had helped you die.
That voice hurt the most, words Madara had spoken in the guise of Naruto's voice. He could no longer tell the difference between the fake Naruto Madara impersonated and the real one. He didn't know which was which anymore when it came to words.
You were the leader, you let all of us die. You left Suigetsu to his death and then Karin was killed as well by a kunoichi from a country allied with your home village. You didn't even try to save us Sasuke. Juugo's voice, more lies from Madara, but they held truth in them to him. He had left Suigetsu to die, and he hadn't been able to really help Karin fight Temari, but he should have been able to. He was supposed to be the leader, supposed to be strong enough to protect them.
You, strong enough to hold others lives in your hands? Fool, how could you even protect anyone? You turned your back on your comrades, on your team. Why would you be able to do any different later on? You were always arrogant and look where it got you teme.
Sasuke clenched his teeth as he shouted in his mind, Shut up, just shut up . . . The voices started to get louder, one after the other.
Pathetic, foolish, weak, little brother.
You were never meant to be the heir of the Uchiha clan, you couldn't even save me. You killed your own brother and allowed comrads to die. You allowed an entire village to die and you'd even betrayed your home village. You're no better than those of your clan. Kuro's voice, words he'd always dreaded hearing from his half brother, from someone he'd come to care for as a brother and had been unable to protect.
No! Shut up! I'm not like them! Sasuke shouted in his mind at the voices in his head.
Look at you, we were rivals, we always competed. Now you're nothing but a sad excuse for a ninja. Allowing others to die for you, letting voices in your head get to you teme. You're not even worthy to be considered a rival to me. Naruto's voice, though it was cold, mocking, much like how he'd been towards Naruto when they were genin.
Pathetic. Traitor! Weak! You're just like your clan. Sasuke shook his head, his eyes closed tightly and his fist clenched to draw blood from his hand again. He'd been so lost in his mind that he hadn't noticed Madara coming back into the cave, hadn't heard his footsteps.
Sasuke jumped when Madara kicked a small rock across the ground to strike the cave wall just beside his head. He narrowed his eyes and suddenly felt a wave of shame pass through him. You've even become so pathetic to allow him to see the inner turmoil he's causing you.
Sasuke scowled and glared at Madara through the blindfold as he walked over to kneel before him. Sasuke grimaced when Madara said in a calm voice, the satisfaction evident in his tone; "Well, Sasuke-kun, I believe you need to get cleaned up. Would you like some clean clothes?"
Sasuke scoffed and turned his head away, Of course the bastard would change tactics, he knows he's getting to me. Now he's going to be civil and act like he actually gives a damn about my well being.
Sasuke heard Madara sigh, shift and then walk a few paces before Sasuke heard the rustling of something.
Then Sasuke heard his footsteps close in by him and felt him nearby, a slight rise in his chakra before the clang of metal met his ears. Sasuke scoffed, Using chakra to cut the chain, reminding me of how easy it would be to escape if I had use of my chakra. He felt the blindfold being moved and in a snapping motion he was blinded by light again.
Madara grabbed the chain and stood up then stood next to Sasuke and looked down at him expectantly. Sasuke glared at him and Madara sighed, "Get up Sasuke-kun, unless you want me to drag you."
Sasuke shifted and clenched his teeth as he bent his legs and moved to get up, using the cave wall to push himself to his feet. A moment after he stood next to Madara he felt cool metal around his neck, and then a click. A fucking collar, this mother fuck . .
Sasuke's thought was interrupted when Madara pulled on the chain forcing him to step forward. As he was pulled to follow behind him he stumbled, but caught his footing once again, luckily. It took a few moments to get used to the light of the fire. Sasuke glared daggers at him and Madara smirked, "Just a precaution Sasuke-kun. I don't want to waste all my energy catching you after you try to make a futile escape attempt from your new freedom."
Sasuke stood up fully and followed silently behind Madara as he was led to the pathway that led to the other cave. It was a slippery path, narrow, and dark as well and he nearly feel over his own feet a few times. Cursing the pain in his legs, as well as the blood seeping down them making the ground even slippier, he also cursed the fact that if it wasn't for Madara leading him he would have fallen.
They finally came to the cave, it was beautifully lit by the stalagmites adorning the walls of the cave that reflected off the water. There was a opening at the top, very small, but enough to let the light of the moon shine down into the water. The cave was a mix of blues, pinks, and whites from the stalagmites and the water was crystal clear. Sasuke could see some steam rising off the water, meaning it was at least not freezing cold.
He knew the water was probably hot due to Madara using fire jutsu, in a cave like this one the water would be cold. He refused to thank Madara for the hot water even in his mind, instead he scowled at the thought. Madara led him to the water's edge and Sasuke looked closer at the water, he could see his reflection, but his eyes gazed right through, he didn't need to see his reflection to know how pathetic he looked.
Madara sighed, "The water is warm, I already bathed, so get yourself cleaned up."
Madara then let go of the chain and walked over to a group of smooth rocks to the left, he set the items under his arms on a rock next to him and sat down. Sasuke sighed and eased into the water. He let out a hiss as the water burned the fresh wounds on his arm and legs, but then the warmth of the water started to soothe his aching muscles and battered body. Sasuke closed his eyes as he went far enough into the pool of water until it could easily reach over his head.
The feeling of actually getting clean was relaxing and he almost forgot that Madara was watching him, almost. He opened his eyes and let out a low hiss when he brought his right hand up to brush his hair out of his face. There had been a sizzling sound and a slight burning feeling, he looked at his hand to see that it was completely healed. No scars, as though there were never countless cuts on his hand at all.
He could then feel the same slight burning sensation in his legs, on every part of him where he had wounds. He could even feel the bones in his left arm starting to mend, though the burning sensation in his left arm was stronger, but not unbearable. He wasn't going to complain, but he was suspicious of the healing qualities of the water. He knew that there was a way to use medical jutsu to create healing water, but he hadn't felt that kind of chakra being used by Madara the entire time they had been in this cave.
He could feel his weariness fading as he started to feel better than he had since his capture. He turned his head slightly at the chuckle from Madara, "Are you enjoying the water, Sasuke-kun?"
Sasuke rolled his eyes and quickly went under the water to rinse what he could from his hair. It had grown to grace his shoulders again, he had cut it a few months ago, but the length left it to lay flat instead of its' customary spiked look. And of course, the fact that it was now wet meant his hair clung to his face. He brought both hands up to brush his hair from his face and combed his fingers through his hair.
It was still soft, despite how long it must have been since it was properly washed. He heard rustling and Madara stood and looked at him, "Well, if your finished then get out of the water."
Sasuke sighed and made his way out of the water, as soon as he was within reach of Madara the bundle of clothes were tossed at him. Sasuke was reluctant to change with the man standing there, Madara crossed his arms, "Come now Sasuke-kun, you can't be embarrassed when your twenty years old."
Sasuke scowled and took off the black shirt that had been reverted to a torn piece of a tank top and then pealed off the mesh shirt. He could feel Madara watching him closely but decided to try and act as though he didn't care nor notice. He unwrapped the bundle and grabbed the long sleeve black shirt putting it on. Then he slid out of his now tattered and torn shorts and boxers. He quickly put on the white boxers and the navy blue pants. They hung tightly to his hips but were otherwise comfortable.
He grabbed what was left of his old clothes from the ground and felt the jerk of the chain as Madara grabbed the one attached to the collar around his neck. Then Sasuke was following Madara after Madara took his old clothes from him and told him to remove his shoes as well. Sasuke couldn't see any need to remove his shoes, but there really wasn't much left of them anyway so he did as instructed with a glare.
Once they were back in the original cave Madara attached the chain to the collar to a peg he took from his pack into the wall closer to the fire. But it was still a good ten paces away from the fire. The peg only allowed him to stand or sit, but not lay down. He leaned back against the cave wall and watched as Madara burned his old clothes in the fire and then set to getting the canteen out.
He took a drink and tossed it to Sasuke, he caught it and took a quick drink before tossing it back towards Madara. He'd purposely tossed it close to the fire, Madara sighed and reached for it and set it beside him where he was seated next to the fire.
A few moments of silence and Sasuke shifting on his feet and then Madara stood and looked at him.
"Sasuke-kun, I have a question for you."
Sasuke made no notion to say anything, Madara continued, "How long do you think you can continue to live with that Sharingan? It will kill you slowly and I'm sure you've noticed the side effects of using it by now."
Sasuke remained silent and impassive, Yes, I've noticed, I'm slowly going blind, I feel exhausted all the time, after using it I am useless. Of course I've fucking noticed it.
Madara smirked, "Well, I believe that we can end this little charade. I'm not one to keep prisoners alive all that long and I think that if you willingly surrender your eyes to me I will let you go."
Sasuke scoffed but made no move to reply. Madara walked over to stand in front of Sasuke and Sasuke heard the scraping of a blade being drawn. Madara had a single kunai in his hand and he stabbed it into the ground next to Sasuke's right leg. Sasuke remained still and impassive.
"Just give me what I want, I've grown quite exhausted taking care of you."
Sasuke looked at him only to glare and Madara glared and shifted pulling the kunai out of the ground. He then stabbed the kunai into the wall on the side of Sasuke's head. Sasuke didn't flinch nor blink and met Madara's glare squarely. Madara leaned forward until Sasuke could taste his foul breath on his tongue and Sasuke scowled.
Madara sneered at him and said in a cold, vicious voice, "Just give me what is rightfully mine boy."
Sasuke knew he shouldn't have, but he opened his mouth and said in a just as cold tone; "Rightfully yours, then why do I have it and not you?"
Madara growled and pulled away pulling the kunai out of the wall and standing up. He glared down at Sasuke, his Sharingan active and whirling, Sasuke focused his gaze on the fire behind him. Without the chakra needed to use the Sharingan he couldn't do anything to fight him.
"Foolish boy, you would be able to live without your eyes."
Sasuke grimaced at the derogatory tone Madara spoke with. But he silenced the retort he wanted to say. There was no point in pissing Madara off, he'd just been healed and he wasn't in the mood to deal with him at the moment. So he sat there silently and after a while Madara resigned to go back to the other cave leaving him there alone again.
Sasuke let himself drift off into another restless sleep, one filled with voices and lies, nightmares from his past, and more pain. Madara could torture him all he wanted, compared to what he'd already been through, this was really nothing. That's what he told himself anyway.
Thanks for reading!