The Scarecrow's Legacy Chapter 19: Part 19, a naruto fanfic

"Hello, Sakura." Kakashi greeted her. He took it upon himself to visit her in her apartment and ask her to dinner.

"Hello. Why are you here?" Sakura asked him, weary.

Kakashi resisted the urge to scratch the back of his head. "I... I actually want to ask you out for dinner."

Sakura raised an eyebrow, her expression skeptical. "Dinner? Why?"

"I told you that I'll make things right, Sakura." Kakashi reminded her. "I want to start tonight."

Sakura studied Kakashi for a moment, assessing the sincerity in his visible eye. After a brief silence, she sighed, relenting a bit.

"Fine, Kakashi. Dinner it is. But this doesn't change anything," Sakura warned, her tone firm.

"I understand," Kakashi replied, his eyes crinkling in a smile. "I'm not going to rush you. I just want to show you, my devotion."

Sakura nodded, her expression still guarded. "Let's just get this over with."

Kakashi led the way to a nearby restaurant, and they settled into a corner table. The atmosphere was tense, filled with unspoken words and the weight of the past. As they perused the menu, Kakashi tried to lighten the mood.

"Have you been to this place before?" he asked, attempting casual conversation.

"No, I haven't," Sakura replied, keeping her responses short.

Kakashi sighed inwardly, realizing the uphill battle he faced in rebuilding the connection with Sakura. The waiter arrived to take their orders, and they lapsed into an awkward silence.

During dinner, Kakashi attempted to steer the conversation toward neutral topics, sharing anecdotes about missions and village affairs. Sakura listened, her responses guarded. As the evening progressed, he found himself growing more anxious, unsure of how to breach the subject that weighed heavily on both their minds.

Finally, as they finished their meal, Kakashi took a deep breath, steeling himself for the difficult conversation ahead.

"Sakura, I know I've been an ass. That in reality, I don't deserve this chance that you're giving me. But I love you and I will do everything to make amends."

Sakura looked at him blankly for a few minutes before she spoke. "What do you know of my last mission? The one before I left for Suna."

"I know some information." Kakashi said. "That the mission was a failure because you were taken. That you escaped but not without a scratch."

Sakura nodded, her gaze unwavering. "I was taken by a rogue group of missing-nins from Kiri. They are a group of savage nins, Kakashi. Do you know what happened there?"

Kakashi's eyes flickered with concern as he listened to Sakura's words. "I know that you were taken, Sakura." he said. Keeping the part where Shikamaru showed him her medical report.

Sakura's lips turned up in an attempt to smile. "For a man who has the highest clearance in the village, you only got the whitewashed version?"

Kakashi's eyes narrowed slightly at Sakura's remark. "I was briefed on the essentials, Sakura. What do you mean by the 'whitewashed version'?" he asked. He knows too much of her condition when she returned. What is she saying?

Sakura leaned forward. "I'm going to tell you everything that happened during that time. After I told you my story, let me know if you still want me." she said.

Sakura leaned back in her chair, her gaze piercing. "The village that was razed is a set up. The moment I got there, they took me. The mission is about to last for two weeks, right? Then, I was late for a week. Those three weeks had been hell, Kakashi. They tortured me. Physically and mentally. For days. They wanted information about the village, our techniques, our secrets. But I kept my mouth shut. It was around a week and a half when they realized that I'm not saying anything when they started a different technique."

"They injected some type of poison into my system, one that was specifically designed to induce excruciating pain. It was a relentless agony that felt like my entire body was on fire. Every nerve ending screamed, and it seemed like there was no end to the torment. They wanted to break me, to force me to reveal our village's secrets. I don't know how I did it, but I managed to keep quiet. I was just thinking about the safety of the village. And that you no longer have the advantage of the sharingan so I don't want anyone to attack the village."

Kakashi listened in grim silence as Sakura recounted the harrowing details of her torture. The weight of guilt and regret settled heavily on his shoulders, realizing the extent of the suffering she had endured. The pain in his eyes deepened as he processed the magnitude of her sacrifice for the village.

Sakura continued, her voice steady but carrying an underlying vulnerability. "They thought I'd break, but I endured it. Thinking back, I should have just said something. Something big but somehow irrelevant to make them get off my back. When the poison didn't work, they... they started a more physical approach."

Sakura took a deep breath before continuing, her eyes locked onto Kakashi's. "Then one of them started undressing me." her voice turned quieter. "I don't remember how much time had passed when they did that. But I remember how many times and how many people. There were seven of them, and they stripped me of any dignity that I manage to salvage from my profession. Shinobis doesn't own their bodies, for it will always be used for the good of the village. If I think about it, I am somewhat lucky, that my mentor was the Hokage so I was never assigned to any seduction mission and my ex-boyfriend was one so I never have to worry about it. But that time, it wasn't even for the village. It was just a torture tool that they came up with."

"Sakura, I... I had no idea. They didn't brief me on the specifics," Kakashi said, his voice heavy with regret.

"I never told them just how many." Sakura said. "They just know it happened. It's really hard not to notice it especially if your mentor is the best medic in all five nations. She just never knew the numbers."

Kakashi's gaze dropped, a mixture of sorrow and guilt clouding his visible eye. "I'm so sorry, Sakura. I should have been there to protect you. I failed you."

Sakura just wiped the tears that escaped her eyes. "Even if you're there, you will not be able to do anything. They were just too strong."

Kakashi reached out, hesitating for a moment before gently placing a hand on Sakura's. His touch was tentative, a silent apology conveyed through the warmth of his palm. Sakura just stared at it before she continued.

"Sometimes, they are just going to wait as one of them are doing me. There are times when I'm forced to take two of them. There was one time they were just going to drop me off someone's lap when they finished, like I was just a toy. There are several times that I have to four at a time." She wiped her tears again. "But the most humiliating and painful of all was when they were forcing all seven of them to me. I don't know how that was even possible. I was even surprised that I kept breathing after they did that."

Kakashi's eyes darkened with anger and sorrow as he listened to Sakura's painful recounting of the horrors she endured. The weight of guilt pressed heavily on him, and he wished he could go back in time to shield her from such atrocities.

"Sakura, I'm so sorry," Kakashi whispered, his voice filled with regret.

Sakura took a shaky breath, her eyes reflecting the deep emotional scars she carried. "I never asked for help because I know none is coming. It will take another week before everyone starts to look for me. So, I just endured it until they are satisfied. I was hoping that they would get tired and just kill me. But they didn't. They just kept on playing with me."

Kakashi's hand tightened on Sakura's, a mixture of rage and sorrow flashing in his eyes. "I failed you, Sakura. I should have been there for you. I should have protected you."

Sakura shook her head, a bitter smile on her lips. "It's not your fault, Kakashi. I made the choice to endure it silently. I didn't want to compromise the safety of the village. I just... I didn't want them to win." She cleared her throat. "I don't know how I managed to escape. Maybe I'm just stubborn. If they killed me there, I would be grateful, because they will put an end to my pain and humiliation. But I know that even as a corpse they are still going to use me. They did use me continually even when I passed out from exhaustion. Being dead would not stop them, so I persisted."

Kakashi's jaw tightened as he listened, his heart heavy with the weight of Sakura's suffering. The pain in his eye intensified as he grappled with the knowledge of the horrors she endured in silence. He felt an overwhelming urge to comfort her, to erase the scars left on her soul.

He was aware that she was raped in her mission. The medical reports were clear on that. But he never thought it's that horrifying.

Sakura continued, her voice steady despite the pain in her words. "I managed to escape after almost two weeks, battered and broken. When I returned to the village, I was physically and emotionally shattered. I couldn't even look at myself in the mirror without feeling disgust. I still managed to write my report, but I made sure it was devoid of all the things that I have to go through." She pulled back her sleeves and stared at the angry scar on her wrist. "If Ino had not visited me that day, I would be pain-free now."

Kakashi's eyes widened further as Sakura revealed the full extent of the horrors she had endured. The pain and anguish etched across her face painted a vivid picture of the trauma she had experienced. The guilt in Kakashi's heart deepened, realizing how much he had failed to protect the person he cared about.

"I... Sakura, I had no idea," Kakashi whispered, his voice filled with regret.

Sakura looked at Kakashi with a mix of sadness and determination. "That's why I'm telling you this now. I need you to know the truth, Kakashi. I need you to understand the hell I went through. And I need to know if you can accept me, broken and dirty and disgusting as I am." She looked back at her wrist. "If you can't then I need you to walk away now."

Kakashi's eyes were filled with a complex mixture of emotions as he absorbed Sakura's painful revelation. He felt a knot forming in his chest, a heavy weight of guilt and regret settling in. The silence between them lingered for a moment, thick with the gravity of Sakura's words.

"Sakura, I..." Kakashi started, struggling to find the right words. "I'm so sorry. I failed you. I should have been there to protect you."

Sakura's gaze remained steady, her eyes searching Kakashi's for a genuine response. "I don't need apologies, Kakashi. I need to know if you can accept me for who I am now. If you can look past the violation and scars. If you can look at me without thinking of the rape and disgusting reality that surrounds me now. If you think you can't and decides to walk away now, I would understand. I won't hold it against you."

"Sakura, I..." Kakashi started, struggling to find the right words. "I'm so sorry. I failed you. I should have been there to protect you."

Kakashi's visible eye bore a deep intensity as he met Sakura's gaze. He took a moment to collect his thoughts, the weight of responsibility heavy on his shoulders.

"Sakura," he began, his voice sincere, "what happened to you is unforgivable. The pain you endured is beyond my comprehension, and I can't fathom the strength it took for you to survive it. I failed you in ways words can't express."

He reached across the table, hesitating before placing his hand on hers. "But I want you to know that I don't see you as broken or dirty. I see a person who faced unimaginable horrors and emerged stronger. You are not defined by what they did to you; you are defined by your resilience and courage."

Sakura looked into Kakashi's eye, searching for any hint of deception. "Can you look at me without pity, Kakashi? Can you truly see me beyond the trauma?"

Kakashi nodded, his gaze unwavering. "I see you, Sakura. I see the woman who faced darkness and still stands. Pity has no place in my heart—only admiration for the strength you carry."

Sakura's eyes glistened with unshed tears, a mixture of emotions swirling within her. She pulled her hand away gently, a cautious expression on her face.

"I'm not asking for your pity, Kakashi. I need your acceptance," Sakura said, her voice vulnerable. "I need to know if you can be with me without the weight of what happened overshadowing everything. That if we took our relationship to the next level, you can sleep with me without flinching or throwing up in disgust. If you can't do that, I need you to step away now."

Kakashi's expression remained serious, his grey eyes conveying a depth of understanding. "Sakura, I won't pretend that it won't be a challenge. The images you described will haunt me, and I can't promise that it won't affect me. But I am willing to try, to work through it with you. I want to be there for you, to support you in any way I can."

"And when you realize that you can't look past it, what will you do?" Sakura asked. "Are you going to distance yourself from me again and leave me hanging? Do I have to walk away from you again?"

Kakashi's gaze held steady as he considered Sakura's questions. "Sakura, I won't make promises I can't keep. But I can promise you this: I won't abandon you. If it becomes difficult for me, I'll be honest with you, and we can figure it out together. I won't leave you hanging, and I won't distance myself. I want to be here for you, no matter how challenging it may be."

Sakura's eyes searched Kakashi's for sincerity. "I've been through a lot, Kakashi. I don't want false assurances. I need someone who can handle the truth and won't run away when things get tough."

He took a deep breath, choosing his words carefully. "I won't lie and say it won't affect me, there will be times that I will look at you and think how the circumstances changed you. But it doesn't mean that I'm disgusted. I just really wished that I was there to help you." Kakashi took another deep breath and look at Sakura. "I can't promise that I won't be haunted by the knowledge of your pain, Sakura. But I can promise that I will do everything in my power to make you feel loved, cherished, and respected. If you're willing to give us a chance, I want to be there for you, regardless of the scars that may linger."

"Will you ever be able to be with me without throwing up?" Sakura asked. "If I'm going to give us a chance again, I want it to be real. Not something out of pity or misdirected sense of obligation. I don't want you to use my history against me. To use it to manipulate and make me submit to you."

Kakashi's eyes softened, and he spoke with sincerity. "Sakura, I won't use your history against you, and I won't manipulate you. I can't guarantee that I won't struggle with my own emotions or reactions, but I will be open and honest about it. I want our relationship to be based on trust and understanding, not pity or obligation. If, at any point, it becomes too much for me, I'll communicate that with you, and we'll figure out the best way forward. I won't force anything, and I won't make you submit to me. I want this to be real, and I want it to be something we build together, understanding each other's scars and vulnerabilities."

Sakura looked at Kakashi, her eyes searching for sincerity. "I need you to be honest, Kakashi. If you feel repulsed or can't handle it, I need you to tell me. I don't want to find out later that you were hiding your discomfort or disgust."

Kakashi met Sakura's gaze with unwavering sincerity. "Sakura, I promise to be honest with you. If there are moments when I struggle, I won't hide it from you. I'll communicate openly about my feelings and discomfort. I won't let any repulsion fester in silence. We need to face this together, and that means being transparent about our emotions. I won't let anything come between us, but I also won't pretend that it'll be easy."

Sakura nodded, a mixture of relief and apprehension in her eyes. "I appreciate your honesty, Kakashi. It's all I ask for—truth and understanding. I've been through enough deceit, and I can't handle more of it."

Kakashi's hand reached across the table, offering support. "I will never lie to you, Sakura. I will always be here for you. Just give me a chance, and I will show you how much I love you."

Sakura took a deep breath, the weight of her decision apparent in her eyes. "Okay, Kakashi. Let's try this. But I need you to understand that it's not just about physical intimacy. It's about rebuilding trust and connection. If at any point it becomes too much for either of us, we need to be honest and reassess."

Kakashi nodded, a sense of gratitude and determination in his grey eyes. "I understand, Sakura. I'm committed to making this work, and I'll respect your boundaries every step of the way."