This chapter contains trigger content for sexual abuse
The place they find is a three-bedroom house in a secluded corner of the village.
Rin does not mind the place. Her room is comfortable and cosy. It has been a long time since she has felt physically at ease.
Even the simplicity of a hot shower provides enough content. The bed is firm yet inviting. It welcomes her with the warmth of its sheets and shelters her from the outside world.
Only hours into the night and she ends up waking to the dark stillness. Automatically, she reaches for the glass of water beside her, but disappointment surges when it is empty.
Really now?
She pads to the door and out into the hallway.
As she shuffles past the other bedrooms, she does not think to switch the lights.
The outside light is scarce. The moon shelters behind mountains and the stars conceal under heavy tufts of clouds.
By the living area, she sees the illuminating clock. It is one hour past midnight.
And then she sees the outline of a figure, standing by the drawing room with their back to her. She startles and stares cautiously from her position.
The figure moves, as if noticing her presence.
"Tobi?" She says waveringly.
The figure half turns.
It is him.
Without wearing his cloak, she does not recognise his outline. And as she pads closer, she realises that he is maskless, albeit his visage is conveniently swathed in darkness.
"Will you not sleep tonight?" Rin asks quietly.
He moves to lean against the armchair.
"What are you doing up so late?" Tobi asks, disregarding her question.
"Water," she states, "Are you okay?"
She shifts closer and he suddenly crosses his arms protectively.
At this point, Rin notices her nightdress and wishes she had put something on to hide its revealing style. Flustered, she hugs herself in an attempt to cover up the plunging neckline, but she gets the peculiar feeling that Tobi has probably seen everything he wanted - even in darkness.
"Go to bed," he says firmly.
Rin frowns.
"I think I can make that decision for myself," she replies briskly.
She takes several strides to cover the distance between them. Rin cannot see him, but she senses his anxiety.
"Tobi, what is on your mind?" She asks, "I can help."
"No, you cannot," he replies cynically.
He shuffles uneasily from her.
"Try me."
"No."
Rin lets the silence sit, but she does not move from her position. Then she takes his hand, and holds firm when he attempts to withdraw.
"Don't act tough and hide away, I'm watching you," she says earnestly.
This time, she feels the aggrieved bitterness that radiates through his touch. When she leans in and places both hands on either side of his face, he turns rigid.
"I'm here if you need me," she whispers gently.
In that same moment, she so wants to press against him and feel the familiarity of his warmth against her. But she is afraid of pushing him into guarded territory, so reluctantly, she lets go.
They stay there in unmoving silence, until Tobi brushes his fingers against hers. Perhaps it is by accident, but Rin is so attuned to any signs of openness from him, she instantly reacts.
She takes his hand again and moves closer, but Tobi withdraws and places his hands on either side of her waist. He keeps her immobile at arm's length, as if he is reluctant to have her close.
But his touch is different.
His fingers dig deep into her waist, and does not detach until she is wincing in pain.
The sounds of his frustrated groan resounds into the atmosphere as he makes for the opposite end of the room.
She lets him have his space for several moments before approaching.
"Tobi?" She says uncertainly.
He turns to face her.
"You should go to bed," he says quietly.
There is a hint of bitterness in his voice.
"It's something to do with me," she says.
"It's not."
Rin does not speak, instead she raises her heels. And it is only when her lips are inches from his that he moves to grip her wrists.
"Don't," he says coldly.
She pulls from his grasp.
"I don't understand you," she says brokenly, "But I'll take it as a cue to step away."
"You wouldn't want this anyway."
"Maybe I do!"
He is momentarily silent.
"Really?" He whispers.
His tone is saturated with deadly malice. When he turns to face her, the chakra he exudes is so rancorous, she falters back in fright.
"Yes," she replies forcefully.
"I don't think you have any idea what you're getting yourself into," he says dangerously.
"I'll be the judge of that."
Instantly, he advances.
"Really?" He says fiercely, "let me give you a taste of what it's like then."
Her back hits the wall in surprise as Tobi steps in and pins his hulking weight to her.
"Are you really sure?" He whispers savagely.
But he does not wait for her response. He leans in and collides his mouth with hers.
The kiss is forceful and vicious, and when she attempts to push him away, he disregards her and persists with his actions, until her lips tear and she can taste her own blood.
"Is this what you want?" He says gratingly.
He abruptly withdraws.
"Answer me!" He shakes her vigorously by the shoulders.
But all she does is let the tears fall and the small frightened sobs to reverberate between them. Her breathing is shallow, her heart is beating frantically, and her mind loses all sense of reality.
Then she lets out another sudden rasp like whimper. He is now pressing his mouth to hers with vicious force - this time, in a less forgiving manner.
His hand moves past her shoulder and aggressively grasps her left breast. And he grips it so mercilessly, she feels the searing pain and the impending bruises.
He does not let her cry, nor move. He is rough, and so physically dominating, she is incredibly powerless against the sickening action.
But inside, she is broken.
It's not him, it's not him, it's not him.
No, it is not Tobi, it is something else. His anger and his hatred is deep-seated. It stems from an unknown source of bitter resentment she is yet to understand.
But he is vulnerable and the act is a direct correlation to his earlier hostility towards her. She does not know how she knows, but it is clear, stark as day.
As she struggles against him, Tobi pulls away.
"Do you want a repeat of that?" He whispers.
Her uncontrollable weeps fuel the aversive tension.
"P-Please…" she cries faintly, "l-lift it."
He keeps quiet for several seconds, then releases the genjutsu.
Terrified and shaken, she backs against the wall.
Tobi, however, is still standing a fair distance from her.
Never in her life has she ever been subjected to such brutality - even if it was genjutsu. She knew what it was, knew it was an illusion, but she could not escape.
There is only one dojutsu that is capable of eliciting such ferociousness, but the unfeasibility of it quickly sends the speculations to the back of her mind.
Exhausted, she collapses to the ground.
Tobi approaches and kneels before her. Ironically, his familiar warmth is what quietens the pace of her beating heart.
"That hurt didn't it?" He says ruefully, "Is that what you wanted?"
She shakes her head.
"I thought so," he replies softly.
"No," she falters, "That was not you."
She hears his uneven breathing.
He did not expect that response from her.
"A replication of me, so in essence it was," he says patiently.
"Then why did you feel the need to use genjutsu? I am sure you are capable enough to do the same without utilising illusions," she says tensely.
He hesitates.
"I choose how I want to do things," he says frigidly, "Why are you so persistent?"
She does not answer.
Tobi moves closer and takes her face in his hand. The feel of his real touch is vastly different. He is gentle, and perhaps his reluctance to physically hurt her is a reason for the use of genjutsu. Still, the mental strain he put her under was comparable.
"Did you need me to repeat anything?" He says.
There is a hidden threat to his tone.
"That won't change anything. It wasn't you," Rin replies faintly.
"Dammit, why are you so persistent?" He mutters exasperatedly.
It must be subconscious, or the fact that Tobi is lost in his own thoughts, but he leans in and rests his forehead against hers in resignation.
"Just tell me to step away from this and I will," she whispers brokenly.
Tobi tenses. His fingers grip her shoulders in an attempt to restrain the indignation that plagues him.
Then he withdraws and walks from her.
"Go, before I end up hurting you again," he says bitterly.
Then he is gone.