Masked-Writer-In-Disguise: Yes, I know. Hate me. Truth is, I can't really find the motivation for the next chapter of Stumble. I really like it, and I'm trying really hard, and I figured that if I got all of the other plot bunnies in my head out of the way I'd be able to focus on my main project, so let's give it a shot, shall we? This is One-Shot # 3 in my Purge-My-Mind-Of-All-Other-Plots stint! W00Tness!!!!

This takes place in the Dawn-verse…yeah. It seems a lot of my stories do.

Disclaimer: Why do you people keep asking me?! I don't own Naruto. I don't even pretend to own Naruto. I just borrow various characters for short periods of time without their owner knowing…Honestly, why do you think I'm writing fanfiction?

Inspiration: The Dawn-Masked-Writer-In-Disguise (this is kinda a side story of The Dawn and you don't have to read The Dawn, but it would make me happy-smiley face-)

Warnings: Okay, y'all. There are a couple warnings that go with this story. There's gore, mentions of torture, rape, child molestation…yeah, that's about it. If there's anything in this list that would make you hate me, don't read it please. I like to keep my readers. –smiles-

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Comfort

By: Masked-Writer-In-Disguise

Sasuke whimpered and tossed his head to the side, his hair fanning out like a black halo against the white sheets. His breath was coming in panting gasps and was being let out in some sort of resisting noise; he was scared. Around him he felt the comfort of the bed he was allowed to sleep in and he knew he was safe with a friend, but his mind was away, back in the place that had taken two years of his life away, tainting all of his once pleasant memories, not just the ones from his stay in Sound, with red and black. His mind was back in the dungeon with the vindictive man that took so much pleasure in torturing him for no apparent reason.

The raven's body recalled the pain of the whip and of the hot iron pokers and of the noose he'd been hanged from until he was sure he'd die only to be let down long enough to catch his breath and have the process repeated until he put up no resistance to the men who only wanted to use his body to sedate their sexual desires. His body remembered being held under water and being thrown across the room into a wall of weapons that he dared not touch or he'd face even worse a fate than his current one. It remembered having itself torn from the inside out when someone needed to slick their way into him, but didn't have anything to do it with, simply plunging a knife or a kunai into the tight orifice to use the blood. He remembered the maniacal laughing and the pleasured moans and the sadistic grins, all directed to the pain he was experiencing, all directed to the trauma his mind was going through.

A dry sob escaped the teen's already torn throat as another spasm of phantom pain wracked through his thin body. He'd didn't want to do this anymore; he wanted the pain to be gone, to fly away and leave him in the peace he felt he deserved. Hadn't his life been painful enough? Why did the pain have to haunt him now? He hadn't been in that lightless cell in three months, but he was still afraid of everything. Sasuke just wanted it to stop, and if that meant he'd have to kill himself, he'd be willing to do it, to do anything to make it end.

Black, tear filled eyes opened and he looked around at the blurry outline of the room he was in, visible only because he refused to allow the heavy curtains to be pulled shut at any time during the day to block out the light; he'd willingly admit to being afraid of the dark. Silver moonlight from the full moon lit the room until golden light flicked on suddenly, a bright strip under the door, blocked only by the shadow of someone approaching silently. The worn brass knob, dull and ancient looking from years of use and reflecting the silvery essence of the moon and the stars, turned and the door pushed inward, letting in a flood of color and the pale worried face of Sasuke's care taker, Sai.

The older teen rushed forward and gathered up the sobbing, shaking Sasuke as he took a seat at the edge of the bed. Sasuke willingly allowed the man to hold him, to keep him safe, to make the pain go away; Sai was really good at making everything go away. The broken raven's hands fisted against Sai's chest, trying to grasp at some tangible evidence that Sai was actually here and that he was actually trying to make things better. His fists caught nothing but air, leaving faint red marks where fingernails scraped into skin, and Sai pulled the thin boy closer, trying to shield him from demons he could not see, voices he could not hear, pain he could not prevent.

Sasuke still continued to cry, shaking against the solid body. Sai began rocking slightly and humming in his baritone voice, rubbing Sasuke's back. The tune-carrying rumbling was comforting to Sasuke; it sent a spear of comfort through the teen, killing the memories with ease, and the pale fists loosened their grip. The younger teen's face was buried in the crook of Sai's neck and his quickened breath was tickling at Sai's clavicle. Sai chuckled, abruptly cutting off the humming and Sasuke smiled a watery smile; it was always strange to hear someone chuckle when one's ear was pressed to their body. One of Sai's hands tangled in the younger man's disheveled hair, pulling the compliant head back so that black eyes could meet brown. The artist smile gently.

"Better?" the artist murmured.

Sasuke nodded, bringing up a hand to wipe at his eyes as they closed, his head pushing back against the long tapered hand in his hair. Sai nodded and moved to get up, causing Sasuke's panicked eyes to pop open, pleading with the man not to leave him alone, and the thin hands to grasp at strong arms, further accentuating the point. The older male froze before slowly settling back onto the bed. Sai had been sleeping on the couch, allowing the wounded shinobi to take over his bed, but it appeared that said man didn't want to be alone any longer. Long artists' hands gently began to rearrange Sasuke's pale limbs to allow for room so that Sai could join the younger teen. Said teen allowed the touching, although with reluctance; he was willing to go through just about anything so long as he wouldn't be left alone with his painful memories. He didn't want to have to fight alone anymore. He needed someone there to back him up, lend his their strength. Tonight it was going to be Sai.

Sai laid himself out next to Sasuke, still holding him protectively, and wrapped the young man around his own body. Sasuke made himself comfortable and reburied his face in Sai's neck and closed his eyes, letting his mind fall into the blessed numbness of bone deep exhaustion. Sai smiled and situated the thick, down comforter over their bodies, doing his very best not to move the now calm and compliant raven. Sasuke's breathing was even and steady now, no longer interrupted by the hiccups that were the byproduct of strong sobbing, and Sai started humming again, closing his eyes. Very slowly the humming faded into silence and the artist's breathing evened out to matched Sasuke's.

The light from the hallway fell onto the bed, but neither of the teens really cared at this point. This was now sleep's domain. The younger man's lips curved slightly, and he finally let his body succumb to the darkness already tugging incessantly at his fogged mind, lulled by the steady and comforting sound of the older man's beating heart.

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Masked-Writer-In-Disguise: Well, there you have it; another rather gloomy insight in Sasuke's mind after years of torture. What do you think? Did you like it? Does it need more? If so, what? Please tell me. I like it when people tell me how to write better.