Summary: After being conned into a mission by her former sensei, Sakura finds herself captive to a very hands-on interrogator. Will she be able to keep her secrets, or will the pressure be too much to hand-le?
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or its characters, and make no profit from this fic. I do however reserve the right to make characters do naughty-naughty things to each other. Dattebayo!
Chapter Six: Bite My Tongue
Sakura slowly opened her eyes, her vision blurry as she tried to make sense of her surroundings. As her senses gradually sharpened, she found herself in a dark, dank cell lying on a cold pallet that did nothing to soften the hard floor beneath her. The door was solid, except for a small window, providing a glimpse of a stone wall beyond.
Blinking away the grogginess, she tried to sit up, only to feel a sharp ache coursing through her body. Her chakra was depleted, leaving her feeling weak and vulnerable. With no visible way out, Sakura's eyes narrowed in frustration as she fixated on the only source of light—the window on the door. It offered her a cruel reminder of her current captivity, a glimpse of the outside world she so desperately yearned to return to.
Feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on her, Sakura's mind raced, searching for a plan. She knew she couldn't afford to stay imprisoned for long; her friends and the mission's delegate were counting on her. But escape seemed impossible without chakra to aid her.
~END OF FLASHBACK~
Sakura's body felt heavy and stiff as she struggled to rise from her seated position against the cold stone wall. With numb hands, she rubbed her arms to restore some feeling, while her legs throbbed with pain from their prolonged inactivity. The small, dimly lit cell, measuring a mere 6 by 6, offered minimal illumination from the faint glow seeping in through the hallway.
Summoning her willpower, Sakura clenched her teeth, determined to stay focused despite her exhaustion. She drew in deep breaths, hoping to find solace in her training under the tutelage of Kakashi-sensei and Tsunade. Their teachings had ingrained in her the ability to think critically and devise solutions even in the bleakest of circumstances.
Restless and anxious, Sakura found herself pacing back and forth within the confining walls of her cell. Her eyes darted around, searching desperately for any potential means of escape. The small window caught her attention, but it was merely a tease with its size and sturdy bars, taunting her with its unattainability. The door, although locked and reinforced with bars, seemed strangely lackluster, as if her captors didn't consider her much of a threat in her current state.
A bitter thought crossed Sakura's mind as she pondered their perception of her. "They must think I'm utterly defenseless," she muttered, a sardonic chuckle escaping her lips.
Suddenly, her self-pity was rudely interrupted by the faint echoes of hushed voices and the shuffling of footsteps. The sounds gradually grew louder, drawing closer to her cell. Sakura's heart skipped a beat with anticipation, and she hurriedly edged closer to the cell door, yearning to catch even the faintest whisper of their conversation.
Deidara's distinct cadence reached her ears, his voice immediately recognizable. "She was a breeze to capture, but she remained tight-lipped, yeah," he revealed.
"And what about that scroll you discovered? Any progress?" questioned an unfamiliar voice, lacking any immediate recognition or connection for Sakura.
The scroll! A surge of hope welled up within her. It would take them ages to decipher its intricate code, YATTA! By the time they unravel its secrets, our mission will have long been completed, and my team will have reached the safety of Suna. Shino, ever vigilant, will surely dispatch one of his trusty insects to notify the village of my capture... as long as they don't believe I'm dead. They will find me, I have to believe that, Sakura clung desperately to that sliver of hope. I just have to endure until then.
As the voices drew nearer, their volume crescendoed, only to abruptly halt just outside her prison. "That's what the woman is for, yeah," Deidara's voice resonated, dripping with sinister implications.
The door swung open, and without a moment's hesitation, Sakura lunged forward, striking at the first figure to emerge. Her knuckles made contact with a solid mass, but her blow lacked the power to inflict any significant damage. A grunt of irritation escaped Deidara's mouth, his furious eyes meeting Sakura's as she stared up at him, her clenched fist still pressed against his torso. In an instant, Sakura found herself hoisted off her feet, her back slammed against the wall, eliciting a pained wince as the impact reverberated through her.
With her shirt bunched up in his grasp, Deidara exerted pressure against her chest, making it difficult for Sakura to draw a full breath into her already strained sternum. In that moment, his vice-like grip conveyed his seething fury. "Give me a sec, Zetsu," the blonde remarked as he shut the door in his companion's face, not waiting for a reply..
RReturning his attention to his captive, Deidara's entire body tensed with rage. "What were you planning, Sakura?" he seethed, his grip tightening in ire. "You weren't thinking of attempting an escape, yeah?" Leaning forward, his lips hovered a mere inch from her ear. "Were you?"
Sakura's body tensed against the sensation of Deidara's breath against her skin. Desperately, she glanced toward the door, hoping for some interruption that would distract the Akatsuki member.
"He's not going to help you, kunoichi," Deidara whispered, his body pressing closer to hers.
Her attention snapped back to the missing-nin in front of her as he slowly pulled away. His hairstyle, reminiscent of her rival's, reminded Sakura of home, intensifying her longing to be back in familiar surroundings. Her inspection continued downward, from his glaring blue eye to the firm set of his mouth, and she couldn't help but notice his arm that still held her captive. Though he appeared slender, Sakura could sense the coiled strength lurking beneath his deceptive appearance. Her gaze moved upward again, cataloging any potential weaknesses or useful details, until their eyes locked once more. A mischievous smirk danced upon his features, his raised eyebrows silently questioning her.
That jerk! Who does he think he is! Kick his ass, Sakura her inner voice shouted, the embarrassment causing heat to suffuse her face.
Struggling against Deidara's comment and its intended meaning, Sakura began to flail in a desperate attempt to break free. In response, the blonde's smile slowly faded, replaced by an irritated frown of annoyance. He jerked her forward, pressing her flush against his body, and forcefully slammed her against the wall, effectively ceasing all her movements.
"You will stop, yeah, or you will become a piece of art," Deidara warned, his expression filled with a sinister anticipation, as if he secretly wished for her to continue her futile struggle.
"You will stop, yeah, or you will become a piece of art." His expression turned into one of anticipation, like he wanted her to continue and that made her quake in fear.
Just as suddenly as Sakura had been airborne, she found herself dropped to the unforgiving floor. Momentarily dazed by the abrupt change in height, she failed to notice Deidara ushering another man into the room. Shaking off her disorientation, she swiftly regained her footing and brushed off her medical skirt, a nervous habit she had picked up during her time at the hospital. The newcomer, who stood at a similar height to Deidara, possessed a striking appearance unlike anyone Sakura had encountered before. His skin was divided down the middle, one half black and the other white, lending him an exotic harlequin-like appearance. Sakura couldn't help but stare, captivated by his unique presence, and her prolonged observation did not go unnoticed by the blonde-haired Akatsuki member, who frowned in response. In contrast to Deidara's garb, this man wore black pants and a white t-shirt, an ensemble that lacked the professionalism of Deidara's cloak-clad figure.
"Hello, Haruno-san. I trust the accommodations suit your needs? My name is Zetsu, and I have come to ask for your assistance in deciphering some scrolls, particularly one of interest. Perhaps you would care to join me for breakfast," Zetsu greeted Sakura, his polite demeanor catching her off guard.
A surge of anger coursed through Sakura as she stared in disbelief at the audacity of the rogue ninja.
How dare he think I would betray my village for mere scraps! The sheer nerve of it! Her insides twisted with indignation.
With clenched teeth, Sakura forced a strained smile and spat out her response, her words heavy with defiance, "I appreciate the offer, but you can go fuck yourself."
Deidara couldn't contain his amusement and discreetly covered his mouth, attempting to hide the smile that played upon his face. "I don't think she's hungry, yeah," he remarked casually.
Zetsu calmly wiped the spit from his face with the back of his hand and motioned for Deidara to follow. Both men left the room without glancing back, locking the door behind them as they proceeded down the dimly lit hallway.
As the footsteps of her captors grew fainter, Sakura found herself sinking to the cold, unforgiving ground of her dark cell. The weight of her uncertain future pressed heavily upon her, and she couldn't shake the fear that gripped her heart. The last words she heard from the enemy-nin, Deidara and Zetsu, were etched in her mind like a haunting echo. Zetsu's voice was no longer polite, but rather a fierce hiss as he asked, "What are you going to do about this?"
The voices faded into incomprehensible murmurs as they moved further away from her cell. Sakura was left in a disheartening silence, and she didn't dare imagine how they planned to fix the situation. Her mind was overwhelmed with worries and emotions, and she rolled her shoulders, attempting to find some semblance of relaxation. Yet, her attempts to calm her turbulent thoughts only led to more chaos.
A series of scenarios flashed through her mind, each one more disastrous than the last. "What are they going to do to me?" she whispered in the dark, her voice barely above a breath. "How am I going to get out of here? Will I survive, or will I be alive long enough to be rescued?"
The relentless questions continued to torment her until sheer exhaustion finally overcame her. Her body and mind surrendered to fatigue, and Sakura drifted into unconsciousness, seeking solace in the temporary respite from her bleak reality.
