In rock and a hard place

12 - In Trouble

Sasuke pov: The next morning, Naruto insisted on going out to get food. "You need rest, Sasuke. I'll be quick," he said with a reassuring smile. Despite my worries, I let him go. He needed to feel useful and normal, and I didn't want to deprive him of that. Hours passed, and I began to worry. Naruto should have been back by now. I decided to go look for him, my gut churning with unease. As I stepped outside, a group of villagers cornered me. "What do you want?" I demanded, my hand reaching for a weapon. "You shouldn't be harboring that demon," one of them sneered before everything went black.

Naruto pov: I walked through the village, trying to ignore the glares and whispers. I kept my head down, focusing on the task at hand. Sasuke needed food, and I wanted to make sure he had something good to eat. As I left the store with a bag of groceries, I felt a familiar sense of dread. I turned a corner and found myself face-to-face with a group of villagers. Their eyes were filled with hatred and malice, the same look they had every time they hurt me. "Out getting food, demon?" one of them sneered. "Shouldn't you be dead?" Before I could respond, one of them pulled out a kunai, pressing it against my throat. "Your friend Sasuke is with us now. If you want him to live, you'll come with us quietly." My heart pounded in my chest. "What have you done to Sasuke?" I demanded, panic rising. "He's fine... for now," another villager said. "But that can change quickly if you don't cooperate." Terror and fury surged through me, but I knew I had no choice. I couldn't let them hurt Sasuke because of me. "I'll go with you. Just don't hurt him," I said, my voice trembling. They grabbed me roughly, dragging me away from the main street. My mind raced as I tried to think of a way to protect Sasuke.

Sasuke pov: I woke up to find myself bound and gagged, lying on the cold ground. I struggled against the ropes, my heart racing with fear and anger. Where was Naruto? What had they done to him. A group of villagers stood nearby, watching me with smug satisfaction. "Don't worry, Uchiha. Your friend will be joining us soon," one of them said. I glared at them, trying to break free. Then, I heard footsteps approaching.

Naruto pov: They dragged me into the forest, far from the village. My heart pounded with fear and desperation. I had to protect Sasuke. Finally, we reached a clearing where Sasuke lay bound and gagged. Relief flooded through me, but it was quickly replaced by anger. "Let him go!" I shouted. "Only if you cooperate," one of them said, smirking. They tied me to a tree, their faces twisted with cruel satisfaction. "Don't hurt him," I begged, my voice breaking. "We'll see," one of them replied. They turned to Sasuke, their intentions clear.

Sasuke pov: I watched as they tied Naruto to a tree and  approached me, my anger boiled over. I struggled harder against the ropes, trying to get to Naruto. "Don't touch him!" I shouted through the gag. One of the villagers turned to me, smirking. "You care about the demon, don't you? How touching." They raised a fist, ready to strike.

Naruto's POV

I couldn't let them hurt Sasuke because of me. "Please, I'll do anything. Just leave Sasuke alone," I pleaded, my voice desperate. The leader of the group sneered. "Fine. If you promise to come with us quietly, we'll let him go."I nodded, tears streaming down my face. "I promise. Just let him go." They released Sasuke, pushing him towards me. "Remember, demon, this is your doing. He'll be safe as long as you cooperate." Sasuke pov: They pushed me towards Naruto, and I stumbled, falling at his feet. "Naruto... why did you do this?" I asked, my voice shaking with emotion. Naruto looked down at me, his eyes filled with pain and determination. "I had to protect you, Sasuke. I couldn't let them hurt you because of me." I struggled to my feet, wrapping my arms around him as best I could. "We're in this together, Naruto. I'll find a way to save you." Naruto nodded, tears glistening in his eyes. "I know. But for now, I need you to be safe." As the villagers dragged him away, I felt a cold, burning rage fill me. I would find a way to rescue Naruto, no matter what it took. We would face this together, and I wouldn't let anyone hurt him again.

Gaara pov: I had come to Konoha to visit Naruto and see how he was doing. As I approached the village, I saw a commotion and heard whispers about a demon being taken into the forest. My heart sank. Naruto. I rushed towards the village center, where I found a boy, bloodied and disoriented. "What happened? Where's Naruto?" I demanded, helping him to his feet. "The villagers... they took him. They said that they wouldn't hurt me if Naruto went willingly with them," he said, his voice filled with rage and despair. He looked at me, "Who are you, and how do you know Naruto?" he asked as we raced through the trees. "I met him a couple of years ago when he attacked my village," I said, pushing branches out of my way as we ran. "But more importantly, he saved my life when rouge ninja's had kidnapped me. I owe him my life." The boy's eyes widened with understanding. "You're Gaara, the Kazekage. I've heard about you." "Yes," I confirmed. "And I won't let anything happen to Naruto. We'll save him."

Sasuke pov: Gaara's presence was a comfort, but I was still consumed by worry and anger. I could barely focus on anything other than finding Naruto and making sure he was safe. "We need to hurry," I urged, my voice tight with fear. Gaara nodded. "Don't worry, Sasuke. We'll find him." We followed the faint sounds of struggle and distress, our hearts pounding with urgency. The forest seemed to close in around us, each step feeling like a race against time.

Naruto pov: They dragged me deeper into the forest, far from the village. My heart pounded with fear and desperation, but I couldn't let them see my weakness. I had to stay strong, for Sasuke's sake. They finally stopped in a secluded clearing. One of them pushed me to the ground, and I stumbled, landing hard on my knees. "This is where you belong, away from us," one of them said, his voice dripping with contempt. "Please, just stop," I begged, but they ignored my pleas. The first punch landed hard on my stomach, knocking the wind out of me. I gasped, trying to catch my breath, but another blow quickly followed. They surrounded me, their fists and feet raining down on me with relentless force. The pain was unbearable, but I couldn't fight back. Not when Sasuke's safety depended on my compliance. "You're a demon," one of them spat, kicking me in the ribs. I groaned, curling up to protect myself. "You don't deserve to live among us." "Please, I haven't done anything to you!" I cried out, but they just laughed. "Shut up, demon. You're a curse on this village," another said, his voice filled with venom. "We're doing everyone a favor." They continued beating me, each punch and kick sending waves of pain through my body. After a particularly fierce blow left me dazed, they tore at my clothes, ripping them off, leaving me exposed to the cold night air. I felt one of them get on top of me. "Is this what a demon feels like?" another taunted, his breath hot and foul against my ear. "Do you like it, monster?" Dazed and dizzy, they pinned me down, spreading my legs. One by one, they raped me, their laughter and taunts ringing in my ears. "Do you like this, demon? Do you enjoy it?" I couldn't fight back. With Sasuke's life on the line and the ringing pain in my head rendering me temporarily paralyzed, I lay there, helpless. I felt every thrust, each one raw with pain. I tried to fight back the tears, but they flowed freely, mixing with the dirt and blood on my face. "Look at you, crying like the weakling you are," one of them sneered. "All that power, and you can't even save yourself." They didn't stop, forcing their way down my throat as I lay on my back. Their hands gripped my head painfully, their voices harsh and cruel. "Swallow it, demon." I had no choice but to comply, the taste of their cruelty filling my mouth as it left me gasping for air. "You're nothing but a plaything for us," another hissed, slapping my face hard. "This is where you belong, in the dirt." The hours stretched on, each moment an endless nightmare. Flipping me over onto my stomach with a harsh grip on my hair, I succumbed to their torture. It continued into the night, the pain and humiliation unbearable. When they finally got bored of me and left, I was left lying in the dirt, naked and covered in their climax, my hands bound tightly behind my back and bleeding. "Don't you dare say anything, or we'll make it worse, demon," they warned before disappearing into the forest. I lay there, the cold wind nipping at my exposed body, my mind numb with pain and despair. Darkness began to creep in, and I welcomed it, letting unconsciousness take me.