"In this house, my word is the law. You follow only me," says Uchiha-dono. "If I tell you to get out, you get out. If I tell you to die, you drop dead,"
But it seems… Uchiha-dono's scent is misleading. He is truly cold. "I understand," Naruto bows again.
There's nothing else he can say. This won't be any different from what he's dealt with in the past. If he's being honest, this might even be easier, had there not be the possibility of homelessness if Uchiha-dono finds him unfit as a mate, or find out his secrets. He can take all the physical and verbal abuse, but if he's kicked out, he might as well just kill himself.
Is this the price of his life? Servitude? Suffering? Is this life…worth the loss of his mother?
He sends the omega off to rest.
Naruto bows again. "Shitsurei shimasu." Excuse me. Then leaves the room, sliding the door closed behind him.
Sasuke half flinches when the omega bows again when he excuses himself. Why is a child of a prominent family behaving so oddly? He's never seen nor heard of a well-born child bowing and waiting for acknowledgement, no matter how long, before they raise their head.
"Okaa-sama's clothes!" 8-year-old Naruto cried, rummaging through the dresser in his room, where his mother used to sleep in when he was alive.
All that's left were his own ratty clothes. It's all gone! Okaa-sama's comb, his hair flower, and earrings! They were all gone!
He rushed out of the servants' quarters, looking for Oku-sama and found her in the gardens. When he told her someone might have stolen his mother's belongings, Naruto didn't understand why Oku-sama was so angry with him.
She grabbed his arm with the intent to bruise and dragged him out of the gardens to the back of the estate. "Get me a knife!" she barked at a nearby servant, who scrambled to obey her.
"Oku-sama!" Naruto cried, "Itai desu!" Mistress! It hurts!
The same servant from earlier appeared at Oku-sama's side, handing her the knife. "Open the storage house!" she snapped at the servant.
"Hai," the servant obeyed the family's mistress in terror.
Naruto pulled back from Oku-sama's grip. "Oku-sama, onegai shimasu!" Please!
"I will not let this go, you bastard," she said, throwing him onto the floor the large storehouse with an immense slap to his small cheek.
It stung his skin and it felt like it would snap his neck. Naruto's face hit the wooden floor, bruising his brow, then tried to scurry away from her, but she grabbed his kimono and yanked him back to her. "Gomen nasai! Gomen nasai!" I'm sorry! I'm sorry!
"No amount of apologizing can let you get away from me," she hissed at him, grabbing his neck. "This is your punishment for accusing anyone in this house of stealing the trash you call belongings," she held the kitchen knife up. "You're rotten! Bastards like you don't deserve pretty things. Don't deserve anything,"
Naruto screamed and screamed and cried. Nobody came to stop Oku-sama.
She dropped the bloodied knife. "I wonder what your whore of a mother would say of your beautiful whiskers now, bastard," she laughed.
Why was she laughing? Naruto was hurt and bleeding. His face hurt so much.
"Lock him up, no food and water, and don't let him out until noon tomorrow,"
Naruto gasped, watching as the servant locked him in the storehouse. It's large, dark, he couldn't see anything, didn't know what was in there, and he was scared. With his remaining strength, and trembling limbs, he lugged himself up and pounded his small fists onto the thick, large door.
"Gomen nasai!" I'm sorry! he cried, tears stinging the fresh, bleeding cuts on his cheeks. "Let me out, please! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
Naruto wakes up with a start.
Oh, he thinks. He dreamt about that day. How he got the scars on his face. He rises from the futon, realizes he's cried in his sleep, calloused fingers brushing over the tears wet raised scars on his whiskers.
Okaa-sama called his whiskers beautiful. They made Naruto beautiful, he said. He believed it. No one else had marks from a god. Naruto can barely look at himself in the mirror now. It's a wonder his face even healed.
Bewilderment fills him when he sees he's in a different room, then, when he sees the Uchiha crest on one of the walls, he remembers he's come to the Uchiha Sasuke-dono's home. He lingers in bed for a while longer, soaking up the fine futon, so soft, smooth, and warm. He hasn't slept so well in years. The futon he had back at the Haruno house was so worn, his feet were almost frozen every night.
Despite it a small home, Naruto is sure there is much to do. He puts away the futon, dresses up, places a pocket of herbs in the neck lining of his kimono, and ties his hair to the side in a knot before emerging from his room and getting started on breakfast. He may be doing different set of tasks now that he is in the Uchiha home. The cleaning and cooking are not something that is expected of a wife of the family head. He's seen what Oku-sama does for Haruno-goshujin-sama as his wife and mate: welcoming guests, tea ceremonies, flower arrangements, playing music, calligraphy, art, and rearing children. He's…he doesn't know any of that. He's…not what a good mate and wife should be, to a powerful alpha like Uchiha-dono. And what he's seen…he barely remembers. He's useless. (1)
Naruto's aware that the position he might take as the head's mate shouldn't be doing manual labor; it's simply beneath them. But this is the only thing Naruto knows how to do. Cook, clean, do the laundry. If he's asked to scrub the floors clean twice every day he would, if it means he wouldn't be thrown out.
Back…with Haruno-goshujin-sama, his father… he was never treated any different from a servant. As a bastard he wasn't family either. And always ignored by everyone, mistreated by Oku-sama and Sakura-ojou-sama whenever they pleased. Except Iruka-san. The omega who treated him like his own. The only person he received love from other than his mother. Who cleaned and bandaged his wounded face with patience as Naruto cried in pain every time he dressed the cuts on his cheeks. Iruka-san gave him his old clothes and made sure he had food. The worn kimono he's wearing right now used to belong to Iruka-san. He left the Haruno household long ago. Naruto hasn't felt love since he left; not since he was separated from Kiba. But Naruto is thankful. He can now be useful to another house. If this family can find him useful, that is enough love for him.
He's in the middle of preparing the miso soup when someone comes into the kitchen.
A tall, elderly omega, with orange hair paling with into white in his age, shuffles in. "Ohayou gozaimasu, Naruto-sama," Good morning.
"Ohayou, Juugo-san," Naruto greets back.
Juugo-san is Uchiha-dono's servant nanny who also took care of him when he was little and is still taking care of him now. Naruto knows he'll learn a lot from him on how to properly take care of his fiancé and the home.
"I'm sorry I didn't ask permission before doing anything,"
"Oh," Juugo says, "You don't need that from me," he chuckles, then bows. "I should be the one apologizing for bothering the future mistress of the house. You shouldn't be up so early!"
Should Naruto not have done anything instead?
"Naruto-sama, thank you for your help," he reaches for Naruto's hand and gives it a few gentle pats of reassurance. "I'm not as young as I used to be, so I'm very grateful you're here for us,"
"Ah, it's nothing. No problem, I suppose," Naruto replies.
"Right! We still have time before Bocchan wakes up! Is it ok if I leave breakfast up to you?" (2)
"Yes!" Naruto answers with an enthusiasm he's never felt before.
"Hai, yoroshiku onegai shimasu," Juugo smiles at him. "Which reminds me, I took the liberty of stocking your room with the tea needed for your courses, Naruto-sama. And some herbs you may choose from to regulate your scent. Bocchan is very in control of his instincts and urges, but you are young, and he might not be able to keep himself away from you," (3)
The young omega's cheeks heat pink. "H-hai, arigatou,"
How lovely, Naruto thinks of Juugo as he gets on with breakfast. He thought Juugo would be strict or harsh since he serves such a cold master. But instead, he finds Juugo thoughtful, welcoming, and gentle. It's even adorable how he calls Uchiha-dono 'bocchan' which no doubt was what he called him as a small child.
Breakfast consists of rice, miso soup, grilled squid, rolled eggs, blanched spinach with sesame oil, pickled cabbage, seasoned seaweed, natto, and green tea.
When he's done, Juugo brings him to the receiving room. They kneel at the door, Juugo slides it open. "Ohayou gozaimasu, Bocchan," he greets their master jovially.
"Ohayou," Uchiha-dono answers, glancing at them from the newspaper in his hands.
How dashing Uchiha-dono looks in his uniform, Naruto thinks.
"Juugo," says Uchiha-dono, "Don't call me 'bocchan' in front of others,"
They enter the room, Naruto slides the door closed, and Juugo serves Uchiha-dono his breakfast. "Hai, hai," says Juugo as they set the trays in front of him. "Naruto-sama made breakfast for you today,"
Uchiha-dono looks at Naruto. "Did you now?"
Naruto gives him a low bow.
"You take the first bite," he says.
What? Naruto wants to say. Why? It's improper. The master of the house must eat first before anyone else can.
"Can't eat it?" Uchiha-dono narrows his eyes at him.
Naruto makes a small gasp. That's…how could a voice sound so cold? When Naruto initially found him so warm. "Um…"
Uchiha-dono quickly rises to his feet, looking down on Naruto who's kneeling in front of him by the tray of food. "You've poisoned it,"
Poisoned? He stares up at enraged alpha. Why would Naruto do that?
"Do you honestly think you could fool me that easily?" Uchiha-dono throws the newspaper onto the food and leaves. "I can't eat this. Who knows what else you've done with it. Throw it away,"
"Bocchan!" Juugo follows him out into the genkan. (6)
'I failed at the one thing I could do right,' Naruto laments as he clears the food.
"Bocchan!" Juugo admonishes his charge. "You shouldn't have talked to him like that! Naruto-sama worked hard to prepare your food! He's not the type of person who goes around poisoning people,"
"Food made by someone I just met. I don't trust him," Sasuke says as he fixes his cufflinks, then puts his shoes on. "It's common sense." Naruto comes from a family who wouldn't think twice about putting Sasuke down to usurp his own family and claim his position.
"Common sense?" Juugo repeats, both confused and incredulous. Since when did his Bocchan become so mean?
"To poison me. How many families would like to see me dead, Juugo?"
Juugo sighed. "He won't do that. He's different, Bocchan, from all the people that came before him,"
It's true though. Many were disgusted by the humble home Sasuke chose to live in. Many tried to seduce and charm him but mistreated and abused Juugo behind Sasuke's back. Many demanded their rooms to be redone and refurbished since it wasn't good enough. Sasuke sent them all packing and away.
Sasuke is also aware that the head of a family shouldn't be living in such simplicity. But he has no tolerance for grandeur and pretension. He despises vulgar displays of money and power, which they want him to do because he's the head of the house, and they deserve such things because they are to be his mate. If someone offers him marriage, he won't deny them, but the moment they impose themselves and their opinions on Sasuke, the moment they show no attempts at understanding him, he sends them away.
"I'm happy, though, Bocchan. Naruto-sama is so sweet and considerate. The first one help me with my work,"
Suddenly, shame washes over the Uchiha family head. He may have been too harsh on his new fiancé. "I see,"
It's a miracle Naruto even wanted to see him off to work. Sasuke gets in his car. "I'll be going,"
"Have a good day," Naruto bows, and watches the car leave.
Uchiha Sasuke is the commander of a little known, small, and classified unit in the imperial military whose members all have abilities. Sasuke himself is gifted with fire and lightning. This powerful commander is swamped with paperwork.
And also unable to focus from thinking about what happened with Naruto that morning, nor the night before. He sighs. Juugo had a point. He had no right being that cruel to him. Sasuke sighed, leaning back onto his chair rest his eyes a while.
Last night, when Naruto introduced himself, it took all of Sasuke's will not to defile his new fiancé right then and there. He had no trust in the omega as a child of Haruno Kizashi-dono, but Sasuke had even less trust in himself. The omega had smelled so inviting. Fresh bamboo, fresh flowers, and morning dew, even with all those horrible herbs trying to smother his enticing scent. Even with the sourness of his disposition and fear which he didn't expect, the notes come through.
Sasuke wonders, if Naruto is a child of a prominent family like Haruno, why does he act like a servant? He's never met a child of a good family to keep their head down until told to stop. He's barely heard a word from him, from last night and this morning, and why didn't he even try to defend himself if he truly didn't poison the food? When all the others hadn't run out of things to say, pointing out everything wrong about his home, about the food, about him.
He wanted to chase him away like all the others, but now… he finds himself sighing again, regretting his actions. It's truly dreadful of him to have acted that way. He is responsible for his own infamy, treating omegas and people in general like that.
He is a beast.
"Okaeri nasai mase, Danna-sama." Welcome home. Naruto greets Sasuke as the master of the house enters the home that night. (5)
"Tadaima." I'm back. Sasuke replies, lowering himself down to sit at the genkan to remove his shoes. There it is again. Bamboo, flowers, and morning dew. With the sourness of fear and sorrow. But why? (6)
Naruto kneels by Sasuke. He's been thinking about this all day, always on the verge of crying, heart pounding in his chest in terror like it'll break his ribs. "Ano, Danna-sama?" he starts, then lowers his head. "I apologize for this morning. If I were you, I wouldn't eat food made by someone I don't trust. I hadn't given it any thought or how you would feel. Juugo-san made dinner, and it's been served just as Juugo-san prepared them," he places his hands on the floor, lowers his head further to almost touching his knuckles. "Please forgive me,"
"I wasn't truly convinced you did it," says Sasuke, which he thinks isn't any better or can comfort him. "I may have reacted too harshly as well,"
"No, not at all!" Naruto keeps his head down. "It is my mistake,"
Sasuke didn't mean to scare him so much. Then upon looking closely, it's difficult to believe that Naruto is a child of a powerful family. The kimono he's wearing is so worn it's on its last thread. Neck and wrists too thin to be considered healthy. Pale skin, chapped lips, and calloused hands. Damaged hair. Even commoners dress better than this. And what was the cause of the scars on his face?
The master walks past the genkan and Naruto follows him into the receiving room. "Have you eaten?" Sasuke asks, seeing that there's food prepared only for one.
"Um, I mean…"
"You haven't eaten yet," it's not a question. "Why didn't you prepare a tray for yourself?"
Naruto doesn't answer. Too terrified of how Sasuke will treat him tonight after today's breakfast. Mentally preparing himself for the rejection he's been dreading and waiting for.
"Did Juugo not prepare enough?"
"It's not that," Naruto tries to placate him. "I told Juugo-san there was no need since I don't have much of an appetite tonight,"
"No appetite?" Sasuke repeats. Why? "Are you unwell?"
"It's nothing to worry about," Naruto says immediately. "It happens sometimes,"
"Alright. If you say so," Sasuke heads for his room. "I'll get dressed,"
Naruto waits for Sasuke in the receiving room. It's not that he doesn't have an appetite, it's just that… back at home there are times when he has no choice but to skip meals, especially if Oku-sama and Sakura-ojou-sama are being particularly vicious. They wouldn't let him eat until the task is done. It's a shame to be used to hunger. Even now, Naruto's been too scared to eat anything, he hasn't had a bite to eat all day and yesterday.
"It's gone cold," Sasuke says when he starts eating.
"Moushiwake arimasen," Naruto supplies quickly.
"You apologize with every breath," Sasuke points out. "Why is that?"
Again, Naruto finds himself unable to answer his fiancé. It's not like he can say that the abuse at home was so severe, that if he didn't apologize immediately, his half-sister and her mother will only continue and worsen their tirade or become violently physical. Even if Naruto wasn't under their roof anymore, they still strike fear in him.
Sasuke understands that Naruto won't tell him. "I see,"
"I'm sor—"
"Stop. Stop apologizing." Sasuke tells him. He thinks he might run out of breath with all the sighing he's doing. "They lose their meaning when used too much,"
Naruto gives him a shallow nod in response. He serves Sasuke another bowl of rice from the ohitsu when he asks for it and waits on him should he ask for something else. (7)
He's terrified. Sasuke never seems to smile, and the way he reacted to breakfast this morning sends dread down Naruto's spine. There is something chilling about his beauty expressing such cruelty. But if Sasuke asked about him having eaten, then…maybe be cared. Maybe for now, Naruto won't be thrown out just yet. And he apologized for this morning and wanted to know about whether he felt unwell.
The omega remembers Juugo trying to comfort him this morning. "Deep down, Bocchan is kind," he said.
Naruto thinks maybe there is more to his Danna-sama than his cold exterior. That maybe he was right about feeling warm when he first met him.
"Thank you for the meal," Sasuke sets the bowl down when he's done.
Naruto moves to clear the tray. "I'll prepare your bath for you,"
"No need," says Sasuke before Naruto can hurry to the furo. (8)
"But—"
The omega tries to reason, but Sasuke tries to cut him off as gently as he can. "The bath needs someone gifted to use it. Only I can use it,"
Oh, right. Sasuke has a gift with fire. So Naruto stays to accompany Sasuke before he leaves for his bath, so he can take away the bowls.
Sasuke notices Naruto has become tense. "Something wrong?"
"Oh, it's nothing,"
Naruto doesn't think Sasuke knows that he has no gift. He has a curse, though. The scars on his face now hide the light, thin marks of what used to be his whiskers, and the seal on his belly will be hidden behind his obi, unless he manages to stay in the Uchiha home long enough that Sasuke can remove his kimono off his body. (9)
Does Sasuke think Naruto has a gift because he's from the Haruno family? Is that the reason he accepted this marriage proposal from Haruno-goshujin-sama? Did he even have any interest in all the other marriages offered to him?
As Naruto follows Sasuke down the hall to the furo to wait on him, it's dawns on him more and more that he isn't a suitable mate and wife to the Uchiha family head. Sasuke's wife should have everything.
Like Sakura.
Chapter End Notes
(1) Goshujin-sama (ご主人様 ・ ごしゅじんさま) means master. Danna-sama can also be used as master, but I'm using Goshujin-sama instead because Danna-sama belongs to Sasuke.
(2) Bocchan （ぼっちゃん）is what servants call their young masters/charges. Connotes endearment.
(3) Yoroshiku onegai shimasu（よろしくおねがいします）can mean many things. In this context, it may mean encouragement.
(4) Ano, eto, （あの、えと）are filler words much like uh, uhm.
(5) Danna-sama （旦那様・旦那さま・だんなさま）can mean either master or husband. In this case, it's husband, even though their engagement isn't finalized/aren't married yet.
(6) Okaeri/okaerinasai/okaerinasaimase （おかえり・おかえりなさい・おかえいりなさえいませ）and tadaima （ただいま）are expressions said when someone comes back home. Tadaima said by the one arriving, okaeri said by the one welcoming the arrival.
Genkan （玄関・げんかん）are traditional Japanese entryway areas for a house, apartment, or building, a combination of a porch and a doormat. It is usually located inside the building directly in front of the door. The primary function of genkan is for the removal of shoes before entering the main part of the house or building.
(7) Ohitsu（おひつ）is a wooden container that stores and keeps rice warm while the family eats.
(8) Furo.（ふろ）Bath.
(9) This is the wide belt on a kimono. For the car... think Ford's Model T.