（ once sasuke takes over, cy gives him full rein. he's mindful, watchful — making sure that the boy's not going to overexert himself after the act. cataloguing everything from his breathing to the pitch of his voice, hoarse from the rough use of his throat. but he finds nothing amiss, nothing out of place, no harm permanently done — and so he relaxes by degrees as sasuke tends him in turn, and when he's finished cy just tugs him in close until they're a tangle of limbs on the bed.

given what he knows of sasuke's world, that part of it is almost a surprise. it's a gentler assimilation into the ranks of a child soldier than he'd anticipated possible for the culture he's pieced together in his head, and he finds himself stroking sasuke's damp hair as he speaks.

then: ）

Part of it might have been the company, （ he says after a long, long pause. ） — but I bet there are more than a few people who've lived up in your world, aware enough of the shinobi to hire them, that would do it just to give some kids a few more days, hours, minutes of peace.