Inner Sanctum

Fourth Stage

The foul stench awoke him. Blinking away the curling tendrils of sleep that fogged his mind, he studied his surroundings, wondering where he was at. A clumsy hand flew to his swollen cheeks, where his skin felt tight and tender. His fingers prodded gingerly drawing a hiss of pain.

‘Tears?’ he wondered, ‘Why can’t I seem to open my eyes? What’s wrong with this picture’ he asked himself, knowing something was severely amiss. Even though conscious, his mind felt sluggish and dull while his body refused to move, protesting his movements vigorously. Blond brows drew together in confusion.

‘Where am I?’ he asked himself repeatedly. He felt weird: crusty, achy and itchy all at the same time. Excruciating pain welcomed his efforts to sit, but he persisted, on the look out for answers.

His throat felt raw and painful, curtailing his efforts to call out to see if anybody was around. He rubbed it vaguely after trying to clear it. It now felt on fire, like he’d swallowed crushed glass. Unable to call out; his senses centered in finding the source of the stench instead.

Looking down, his eyes focused on his abdomen and lower body. A disbelieving wheeze pushed past his broken and sore lips. His stunned senses barely registered what his mind was unable to process: he was a mess; the horrible stench that filtered in his dreams was his own. His heart lodged in his throat, suddenly scared without reason.

‘Did I go Kyuubi on somebody?’ he wondered silently as panic rose in his heart. A metallic sound drew his wavering attention towards the restraints spread obscenely at the end of the table. His breath hitched. His blood roared inside his ears. Dark images bowled him over the moment his eyes fell on those manacles: Hurt, humiliation, fear, blood, feces, betrayal. Feeling swarmed over him like flies over a rotting carcass.

‘No, this is somebody else’s. This is not true… nothing happened! Yeah… this is all a dream!’ he told himself with every increasing denial.

“Face it kit. They hurt you, this happened to you, not somebody else!’ a pained roar boomed from within his mind, blocking his every attempt at hiding away from the truth.

He froze, unable to understand why he’d been attacked with such viciousness. His bruised flesh was covered in his own blood, semen, feces and urine. He was filthy. He was a monster. He was a demon spawn. He had to run away, he had to hide his shame. Death, he wanted death.

A wrenching sob left his tortured throat as he pushed on trembling arms. He shifted his hips tentatively before incredible pain speared him, drawing a gasp of disbelief from his lips.

Nausea rose to his throat at the sight of his defiled body. Blood spread all over in half congealed pools, its metallic scent teasing his nostrils and he pitched forward into the floor. Disgust and nausea became one inside his body, cramping his stomach mercilessly and sending his quaking body into a series of uncontrollable heaves that succeeded only in ridding him of nothing but bile.

His uncomprehending gaze marveled at the amount of blood strewn over the table and the floorboards, making him wonder how it was possible he was even alive. He’d lost too much blood.

‘You’re forgetting Kyuubi idiot. They thought they could stab you repeatedly and you would be fine in a few hours. They just never took the effect of the forbidden jutsu into consideration.’ A harsh voice completed his thoughts. ‘They tried to kill me… why? Am I such a burden? I didn’t ask to be a Jinchuuriki! I am not the Kyuubi!’ he thought in desperation.

‘So you are blaming me?’ a deep voice queried with hurt. ‘I couldn’t do much to help this time but that doesn’t mean I am worthless.’ Naruto chose to ignore the voice inside him. Swiping the bile from his lips with a distracted arm, he rose to his knees in an attempt to distance his weakened body from the evidence of his downfall.

He was dirty and naked. Exposed. Vulnerable. His eyes sought something to cover himself with and found his ruined orange jacket, carelessly tossed to the side and blackened in patches with caked blood.

There on a corner, a spot of silver shone. Squinting, he realized that in their haste to disrobe him, his assailants had failed to take his hitai-ate. Crawling with effort, he attempted to reach it with a glad cry. ‘It’s safe… I am still a ninja… even if…’

A foot stomped on the metal square, making a whimper rise to his throat. Looking up, he was stunned to find Iruka-sensei, staring down at him in disapproval.

“When I gave you this, I’d never thought you would become so weak, Naruto! You let them do as they pleased! Didn’t you learn your lesson with the genin? So pathetically weak… and yet, you dare to call yourself a shinobi? Is this your nindo now? You are not qualified to be a Nin, much less wear my precious hitai-ate! I am disappointed in you, Naruto.” A reproving Iruka bent to retrieve the badly dented head piece and turned to leave. His beloved sensei’s words speared his heart in two as his soul filled with despair.

‘No! Iruka-sensei! Please!’ his mind rebelled against the deep-seated disgust he found in the gentle depths of the man he had come to think of as a father.

“Nah, don’t be so harsh Iruka-san. After all, it’s Naruto we are talking about. It was to be expected that he would actually cum when tortured; he is weird like that… such a hentai fox! His animal instincts are very hard to control. Give him some leeway, ne?” A conciliatory Kakashi appeared out of nowhere from the solid darkness behind his sensei’s shoulder.

“It was easy to make him beg. He was screaming like a whore all the time, begging us to do him harder… right Sakura-chan?” an amused Ino appeared magically, followed by a lewdly grinning Sakura. He curled up defensively as his mind struggled to understand what was happening.

“If only he hadn’t been so weak… It almost makes me want to do it again, ne Ino-chan?” she whispered maliciously, crouching beside the fallen man who curled up defensively.

“You are not who I thought you were. You are an embarrassment to me, Naruto!” Iruka snorted, disapproval etched in his handsome features.

“Yeah, Naruto… he’s right!” Sasuke’s voice informed him softly as he also appeared, stepping from out of the shadows followed by Neji, Gaara and Kiba. They all stared at his naked and filthy body with varying degrees of shock.

“Some nin you are, usuratonkachi.” Amusement.

“Good fuck… Shame you’re not a woman.” Lust.

“Wow, it only took two women to rape you!” Wonderment.

“Bothersome!” Indifference.

“… animal…” Disapproval.

“You only have yourself to blame, Naruto!” Anger.

“You had an orgasm after what they did to you?” Disbelief.

“Pervert!” Censure.

“Some Hokage you are gonna make…” Disgust.

“You’re better off dead, Naruto.” Hatred.

He covered his ears as his heart echoed with dismay. The voices boomed around him, their feelings piercing his vulnerable self with kunai-like sharpness until he laid panting and weeping, begging for them to stop.

After a while, there was silence. Two pairs of arms caught him by his shoulders and Ino’s face appeared before his hazy gaze. His heart spiked with fear as blood rushed to his head, making him dizzy.

“Let‘s play again, Naruto. I brought reinforcements this time.” She cackled madly, pointing at four familiar figures near the blood-stained table.

‘Not the genin, please, not that!’ his mind balked at the sight, striving to free himself with all his might.

“Oh, I see you remember them! Good… my cousin was very eager to meet you when I told him about you. Say hi Naruto!” she cooed as he struggled against her punishing hold.

His limbs felt leaden and stiff as he was pulled back towards the table and waiting men’s arms. His friends stood on the sides, watching with disinterest as he was spread and bound again.

The man grinned evilly, noticing the despair in his gaze as tears clouded sky blue eyes. “You see? They don’t care. Nobody’s gonna help you this time! They are tired of dealing with such a bothersome creature. See? They just waited to make sure you would receive an adequate punishment, fox!” He said with an evil grin.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Iruka, Sasuke and the others moving to exit the room, faces full of disgust. Realization hit him square in his forehead. They were abandoning him!

‘No! Don’t! Stop! Please, don’t go! Don’t leave me alone! Please… No!’ he wept as his mind reeled, his body straining against his bonds in a last ditch attempt to reach them.

“Stop! Iruka! Sasuke! It wasn’t my fault! No, don’t go! I didn’t want this! Please!” he sobbed frantically as the men called his name mockingly. “Naruto! Naruto! Naruto!”

A raw scream like a dying animal was torn from his throat. He fought like a demented being to free himself. Surely this had to be a mistake.

“Iruka-sensei! Sasuke! Gaara! NO… NO! Wait! Iruka! Please! Sasuke, don’t leave! I beg you… please…”, his voice hoarsened and shriveled as his throat gave up from the effort. His captor’s intruding hands gripped his shoulders carelessly pulled him up while he screamed silently, his unseeing eyes watching the darkness for a reprieve.

“Naruto, Naruto! Wake up! Wake up, Naruto!! It’s only a dream! Come on dobe, wake up!” an urgent voice penetrated the murky blackness of his nightmares. The deep baritone produced comfort inside his heart and he turned towards him on impulse. Opening his eyes with a relieved groan, he threw himself at his rescuer, hugging the comfortingly solid presence with obsessive strength.

“Don’t leave…no please… don’t!” He whimpered, slowly shedding the nightmarish visions that plagued his mind.

The presence stiffened and wrapped careful arms around his shaking silhouette. “Naruto? Are you awake? Naruto?” a male voice asked gently. He nodded, his dreamscape fading from his tortured mind as he cried silently. His hand grabbed fistfuls of cloth convulsively, seeking warmth and comfort. A hand caressed his hair, soothing his desolate spirit.

“Sasuke?” He stiffened and pushed back, afraid this was another figment of his sadist imagination.

Noticing his friend’s trembling frame, he spoke with the hushed tones of one dealing with a spooked horse. “Easy there… everything is fine… you just had a nightmare. Hush…”

Something in his speech angered the blonde deeply, the fading echoes of his nightmare egging him to lash out in retaliation. Furious, he threw a punch that incredibly connected with an unguarded jaw.

“What the fuck?” Sasuke yelped as he landed on his ass.

“Teme! I am NOT an animal!” He grounded angrily, drying the remainder of his tears brusquely. “I will not be talked to like that!”

Sasuke nursed his jaw with a growing smile. Now that was the Naruto he remembered! “Damn right you aren’t dobe! Damn right!” He nodded with feigned indifference. He let the blow to his pride pass, so glad he was to see a spark of stubbornness back into clear blue depths. He cursed softly watching Naruto withdraw.

The nightmare had been a terrible one that much he could tell. The blond shinobi’s screams tore open the stillness with inhuman sorrow. He shivered. He would do anything within his power not to hear that sound again.

‘Now if only Naruto allowed himself to be taken care of…’ he sighed. ‘No human should have to produce such a frightful sound.’ He frowned darkly, wanting to take his revenge with such a passion, it scared him.

It was only Naruto’s painful cries for deliverance what finally pulled him away from exhausted slumber. He blushed remembering how he’d cried himself to sleep after the Hokage’s visit earlier that afternoon.

A sick feeling of dread filled his chest before a shy tug on his yukata distracted his boiling thoughts. He smiled noticing Naruto’s hand tightly wrapped around the edge of his yukata. His friend was not exactly clinging for dear life but he was not ready to let go either.

‘As long as you reach for me, you will find me there… even if you don’t… I’ll be there.’ Sasuke swore silently, fighting the tears that threatened to unman him before his friend.

“Sasuke… you don’t hate me, do you?” he queried in such a low voice it was hard to hear at first.

“Tsk, dobe. How could I hate my best friend who rescued my sorry ass from my own stupidity?” he joked lightly. “Now lean back, dobe. You need to sleep some more.” He commented offhandedly. Fear rose to Naruto’s gaze and he stiffened.

Sasuke’s heart contracted with badly suppressed anguish at this unexpected display of feeling. Swallowing around the knot of rage that attempted to burst from his throat, he smiled. Knowing Naruto’s pride couldn’t stand another blow, he relaxed.

“Um, Naruto? I… um… it will snow tonight… you know… its cold… so… would you mind if I stayed nearby or shared a futon?” he asked unable to meeting his eyes. Turning quickly around, Naruto lifted his incredulous gaze, his first impulse to stand and scream at his lying friend.

‘Uchiha’s don’t have any weaknesses, baka!’ Still, he kept silent, knowing better than to pursue the matter.

‘He’s offering to keep you company, so you can sleep. It’s that simple.’ A voice informed him tartly.

‘Now nod after me and thank him. Don’t allow your pride to get in the middle of your good fortune, kit.’

Sasuke stiffened, unsure of the reception of his offering. Turning to meet wet blue eyes, he gulped when he saw nothing but gratitude reflected there.
“Thank you. Stay?” Naruto said simply, tightening his grip on his sleeve as if the laughable hold reassured him. He sat beside his friend not saying a word but not leaving either.

“Of course, dobe. I’ve never been good with the cold. You’re welcome, dobe, but don’t get used to it.” He replied gruffly biting his lip. Naruto whimpered softly when he saw Sasuke attempt to stand to fetch his futon.

“The futon?” he asked but Naruto shook his head.

“We… we…can share.” He whispered with a red face.

“If… you don’t mind… ne?” he turned hopeful eyes and it was all Sasuke could do not to burst into tears as he nodded.

“Move over, dobe. I need space.” He commented and there was a quick flurry of movement as the smaller male shifted to the very edge of the padded futon. Sasuke straightened moving slowly, knowing this closeness was scaring his friend.

“You ok?” he asked softly, noticing the rigidity of his dobe’s back as he nodded.

‘This is ridiculous. If he moves another inch he will fall off the bed.’ With an impatient growl, he gathered the blond into his warm embrace, drawing a startled gasp from his dobe. After some token resistance, the struggling creature in his arms relaxed.

Fragile blue met understanding black and the blonde broke down, sobbing uncontrollably for the first time. The hopeless tears spoke volumes to Sasuke’s aching heart. There was pain, betrayal, fear, despair and a void greater than death that refused to be filled as long as he held back his tears. Sasuke pulled him closer, while Naruto’s body sought his warmth desperately, like a drowning man claws a raft in the middle of the ocean.

Unable to stand such overwhelming pain befalling someone so undeserving made Sasuke vulnerable to his own hurt. Caressing golden tresses, rocking softly as he whispered comforting little nothings, he allowed his tears to course unheeded down his cheeks. After a while, the emotional storm subsided and Sasuke relaxed a bit wondering if it was over.

‘Sleep now… Naruto…’ he begged silently, unable to take such grief and agony.

“Please don’t hate me, Sas’ke… onegai… don’t hate me…” Naruto whispered tearfully before once again sinking into slumber. Sasuke stiffened as a multitude of emotions flickered unnoticed by the sleeping blonde.

“Never… you hear? I will never hate you, Naruto.” He swore fiercely, tightening his hold. Closing his eyes, he begged the heavens, until now mute witnesses of his travails, that by the time Naruto knew of his actions earlier that day, he’d still want to call him friend.

****** A few hours earlier *****

After their fight in the Konoha’s forest, he’d brought Naruto to the Uchiha complex. Thankfully, Naruto had slept like a log for the next few hours. He needed time to make his friend comfortable and think of his next step. His heated blood claimed revenge against the two people who had dared to hurt his dobe. He paused torn between the need for revenge and the need to protect his friend. It was obvious Naruto was in dire need of sleep. He knew he had to protect him against himself and those that wished to harm him. But it went against his grain to let those two things live happily while Naruto suffered.

‘I must get proof! Tsunade must believe before I am able to tell her about my suspicions.’ He eyed the slumbering blonde, wondering if he should attempt to touch him. ‘Place him under a sleeping jutsu, although judging by his state, he won’t be waking up jutsu or no jutsu.’

At last choosing to risk his friend’s displeasure rather than forcing his abused mind under a jutsu, he set out to work. Searching for proof, he’s undressed an unconscious Naruto; throwing the soiled clothing away. He washed his body carefully, taking inventory of countless fading bruises.

Almost immediately his eyes had been drawn towards an angry red, infected-looking wound over his left hipbone. Rage suffused his being as he cleaned the wound the moment he realized the apparently random cuts resembled a sloppily rendition of the kanji for ‘filth’ followed by an incomplete version of the kanji for ‘monster’.

Sweat ran down his spine as he imagined the throbbing pain those deep wounds over his hipbone had inflicted, since the varying depths of the uneven cuts spoke of a desperate struggle.

Swearing under his breath, he covered the wound. Naruto whimpered in his sleep as he wiped his urine-covered groin. He didn’t dare to look at his anus, even though he knew it was possible that area of his body was even worse.

If Naruto’s body had been attacked two weeks ago and there were wounds still open, that would mean something was terribly wrong with the Kyuubi. That would explain why he was so thin and pale.

He stared at the blonde, his burrowed brow considering his options. As he saw it, the only responsible thing he could do was call the Hokage. She would know what to do if Naruto’s health was as bad as he feared. Even knowing he risked losing Naruto forever, he knew he had to tell her. He was too precious for him to stand still and do nothing while his dobe’s health deteriorated.

Stiffening his shoulders with resolve, he sent Tsunade an urgent message using one of his Kakashi-perfected Nin dogs. She came quicker than expected, looking scared. He’d known his message would get her quickly but he never expected to see terror reflected in her eyes.

“Where is he?” she asked. He pointed towards his charge with a shaking finger. It hurt to know somebody had dared to harm him so badly. And what made it worse, apparently, he was to blame for the attack.

‘When will I stop being a painful subject to those I love? When!’, grief colored his thoughts. He bit his lip and waited attentively, hovering behind Tsunade while she examined Naruto’s body.

After 15 minutes of dedicated attention, Tsunade’s expression turned so dark and forbidden even he was scared. Her furious expression stoked the flames of his anger. He was sure revenge was well on its way with every passing minute. Her glowing hands worked efficiently to manipulate Naruto’s flagging chakra system to reinforce the most urgent areas.

“You say this happened almost two weeks ago? Given Kyuubi’s chakra levels they must have used a forbidden jutsu to control his body.” She said as her gentle hands infused the pale body with enough energy to heal. She cursed softly, at the pain Naruto had withstood for so long.

Given his current state and the Uchiha’s report of a bloody cabin, Naruto’s tender insides had been badly torn after the attack. Her heart contracted with sorrow as soothing hands inspected his lower body. She’d placed him under a sleeping jutsu to avoid his awakening and work with more ease. It would not do for him to become aware during his examination. That would be too harsh a blow for his beaten mind.

She had been forced to undo Kyuubi’s efforts and rebind every blood vessel and muscle back into place. Her depleted chakra reserves drew on Kyuubi’s with disgust to effect the healing. After reading the summoning note she’d decided against bringing Sakura along. She closed her eyes, recalling the fear that clogged her lungs as she read the unexpected note.

‘Tactless bastard.’ She cursed, stopping her recollections. There was no time for that. She had been working on routine work: mission reports, requests and disciplinary actions when a dog had sprouted out of nowhere and left a note on top of her desk.

Tsunade no Hokage:

Naruto’s in danger. Inside job. Hurt fox. Badly Assaulted. Help. Destroy this.

Uchiha Avenger

She resumed her work, pouring her anger into the healing. Anger was energy she could use. It was better than the desperate fear that sat eating at her entrails like a living thing.

“I noticed a change in his habits soon after he disappeared. It was when you assigned me to take those scrolls into Suna. He’d been avoiding me for the past two weeks, eating once a day, training obsessively and sleeping only for a few hours.” He replied with detachment. She faltered.

“How did you know that?” she asked surprised with such a precise statement. Her eyes narrowed. “Are you a stalker, Uchiha?” she asked with sudden insight making him shiver.

Shame suffused his being but he pushed it aside. He was a man, not a child he would take responsibility for his actions! He struggled silently but nodded.

Tsunade smiled softly, noticing his inner struggle. ‘I’m glad! Gaki, there is somebody here that cares more than he lets on!’

“Good. If you weren’t, this would have continued and Naruto would have been irremediably lost.” She stated dryly, offering him a smile. He colored and looked away.

It took her nearly 3 hours to get him well enough to satisfy her. She prepared to leave, leaving Sasuke with a flurry of instructions he was to follow ‘under pain of torture’.

“I’m placing my best nin under your care, Uchiha-san. This will be your mission. I’m making it an A rank mission. Maybe that will drill the seriousness of the situation home. We must protect him from another attack. You are not to leave him alone at any time. We don’t know how fragile his psyche is at this moment. I want a private full report on today’s incident, your previous suspicions, findings and related information on my desk tomorrow morning. Understood?” she watched him closely. He nodded dazedly and she smiled with satisfaction, turning to leave. Once at the threshold, she paused, making a point of not looking at him.

“Oh, and Sasuke?” He stiffened, looking directly into her raging eyes.

“You will give me names. I know you have an idea of who did this; I can see it in your eyes. Before you try to deny anything, know this Uchiha Avenger: Revenge is best served cold. I need you beside him right now. Leave vengeance for later. Understood?” she asked softly willing him to place Naruto’s well being before his righteous anger.

Fist curling in anger, he bit his lip before he nodded. Tsunade was right. He had to wait. But that didn’t mean his thirst for vengeance had been appeased. It was just simmering at the back of his mind. Waiting. With a nod, he reassured her and she accepted his silent acquiescence.

“They will pay, Sasuke. That’s a promise I make as a legendary senin who is forced to stand back and watch thanks to her position. They will pay with blood for every second of pain he goes through and you will be my chosen weapon.” She swore fiercely as her heart bled inside her chest. A grim smile curved her lips, for those who messed with her blonde gaki, messed with Konohagakure’s own Hokage!