Title: Payback
Words: 2,559
Rating: T for slight gore and cursing
Spoilers: None that I can currently think of.
Pairings: Kabuto/Sakura
Disclaimer: The Naruto series and all of it's characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.
Summary: 'I did it because I hate owing people so you can just consider this payback.'
Author's Note: Hi there. This is just a small idea that popped into my head today so I thought that I'd give it a try and write it. Kabuto is probably my second favorite character from the Naruto series and there is just something about the KabuSaku pairing that I like so I also thought it was about time I wrote a fic with them in it. I'm a little worried about if I captured Kabuto right, and if I didn't, I'm very sorry. I'm also thinking of doing another KabuSaku fic in the future so if you like this one, keep your eyes out for it! Also, if you have read my other fics, you know that I am an extremely paranoid person and even though I've already proofread this countless times, I'm still worried if there's a major mistake in there somewhere. Please tell me if there is. Anyways, I hope you enjoy it and if you feel like it, please send a review my way. Thanks!


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-Payback-

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You stare up though a blurry vision and the cracked glass of your spectacles to the starry night sky which lies miles above you. There, you can see the large, full moon that hangs low as it moves out from behind several dark clouds, letting all of its bright, yellowish light shine down onto your broken body. It's your only companion here besides a single, invisible cricket who refuses to stop it's irksome chirping.

How long have you been lying here is what you wonder. Has it been hours or just a few mere minutes? You don't know. All that you can be absolutely sure of is that you can't move and that your life is slowly fading away from you while you continue to lie motionless against the grassy, earth floor of the small clearing.

Blinking, you can feel the damp blood that's been splattered across the pale skin of your face and how it coats your clothes as well; staining all that it touches a deep, crimson color.

Who knew that it would come to this?

That in the end, the damn Uchiha would betray Orochimaru-sama as well as you just so he could go back to his pathetic, little village, (You always have known that he was a bastard who was never worth all of the special attention he received) that the kyubi kid would be stronger than you had first expected, (You knew that he had the potential for such power but never imagined that he would actually obtain it.) and that at the end of the day, you wouldn't have neither the speed nor the reflexes to avoid or stop the last attack that had been sent so quickly you're way (And you thought you were near flawless.).

The sound of light footsteps approaching and the snapping of several twigs under weight sends your gaze traveling over to where you can spot a figure emerging slowly from the heavy foliage. You try to focus enough just so you can see the sea green eyes that stare at you while short, cherry-colored locks frame her oval-shaped face.

Haruno Sakura. The weakest of the great three.

She's probably here to gloat or brag. Come to throw the fact that you've lost while Konoha has triumphed into you're face because after all, you are both enemies and it's what one should do in their times of victory, but she doesn't do any of it. Instead, you see her keep her stance in the original spot, along with her silence which causes a confused expression to sprout across your features.

Annoying Girl.

Though her eyes are hard with the special fire that her soul possesses, a small amount of pity softens them a tiny fraction for you.

Pathetic.

You have no such use for the emotion, especially if it's coming from her.

She's not suited for the life of a kunochi. She still has a heart which is something one should no hold in the certain profession.

A glare crosses your eyes while you wish she would just go away and leave you to die here alone, but it's interrupted by a raw, painful cough that draws crimson liquid from your throat before sending it to spill out over your chapped lips and dribbling down your chin.

It would seem that this is already the end of your short life.

One of your original smirks takes its place on your lips which you give to her as a parting gift while darkness begins to eat at the corners of your vision before it takes over your body and mind completely.

The last thing that you're aware of is the feeling of her moving closer until she's hovering directly over your pitiable form, and her voice whispering out in a frustrated tone, "Damn it!"

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-Payback-

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Your eyes open slowly as you wake, revealing dark, obsidian orbs which peek through the silvery wisps of your bangs. Confused and dazed, you blink which causes your vision to clear up just enough to where you can see the wood ceiling that resides yards above your head with several good-sized holes that are pitted in it, allowing rays of sunlight to escape through.

Birds chirp almost obnoxiously loud outside, making you're already splitting skull pound harder with a brutal headache while a cool, crisp wind manages to blow through the cracks in the walls; the breeze ruffling your hair and the old, ratty blanket that's been placed over you.

Next, you try moving but immediately stop in your attempts when you feel the flash of pain that fires through your body like an angry lightning bolt.

Every inch of you aches which you guess could be considered a good think since it means that you're probably not dead, but still, who really knows? You understand that you've been nothing close to a saint and you've done some pretty shitty things in your life so this might as well be hell where you are now repenting for your ghastly sins.

"Hey. Are you awake?"

The simple sound of the voice tells you that you're definitely not living currently in the underworld because she is one person who certainly will never be traveling to that dark place. Turning your head against the hard, lump of a pillow, you see Haruno Sakura's petite form entering through the small doorway of the trashy hut that you reside in.

"Well, it's about damn time," she grinds out, her eyes showing slight irritation as she steps further into the room. "You've already been out for almost a week now."

Despite the throbbing ache it causes, you force yourself into a sitting position because it's worth it.

Because one of the last things you would want to do is look frail in front of her.

"You seem to have healed up nicely," she compliments, giving you a onceover with her eyes.

You gaze follows her own down to your bare chest where you can see that though scars still remain, the wounds that you had sustained are indeed now healed. Your eyes narrow as you began to scrutinize every single piece of handiwork she has performed on you to only find that it's an absolutely flawless, and perfect job with no faults at all.

But should you really expect any less from the apprentice of a great sannin?

"You're in an old, abandoned hut bout three miles outside of Konoha," her voice informs and you glance back up to see that she has taken a place in the middle of the room next to a small, makeshift hearth. Alongside her kneeling body stand several logs that she's brought with her. "I didn't think anyone would come prowling around here, but I suggest that if you would like to keep your head, that you get your ass out of her quickly," she carries on while taking a match from her pack, and with a flick of her wrist, it ignites. An orange flame grows before she hurriedly throws it into the pit, along with some pieces of wood. Taking a particularly long stick, she uses it as a poker to try and start a small, contained fire. "…Orochimaru is dead," she reports after a short moment of silence without even sparring you a glance.

The news hits you hard, causing your body to tense up with the realization that you've just lost the only person that you've ever even began to consider a father figure.

Even if it was a fucked up one, at that.

"Most of the sound-nin turned into cowards after their great leader had been defeated and they ran off," she continues to update you on the outcome of the battle with obvious disgust in her tone. "Still, some chose to keep fighting and those people either ended up dead or are beginning to rot away in their prison cells by now."

So everyone's gone. Then why are you still here?

You stare at her with a guarded expression as the orange glow from the bright flames that lick at the logs flickers across her delicate features. "Why?" your voice asks quietly.

Why do something like this? Why heal your enemy when you know that they probably will just stand back up after you're done to come and attack you once more? Why do such a thing for the likes of someone like you?

Breaking another piece of kindling in half easily, she feeds it to the fire before shooting back, "I think I should be the one asking that question." You don't understand her words which causes your brow to furrow from the slight confusion she's caused, and seeing this, she turns to face you fully for the first time. "Why did you do it for me?" she questions.

Flashbacks of her body being thrown pathetically like some ragdoll into the dirt thanks to the kyubi flow through you mind, as well as the look of pain that had flashed across her face from the injuries she had received and your hand reaching out to allow the healing chakra to travel from your body to her own.

So what of it? Does she think herself special because you did it? Because you just so happened to heal her once? Haven't you already told her that it was for personal gain? She killed an Akatsuki member so why wouldn't you use her to take down even more?

You would push your glasses up higher on the bridge of your nose if you had them, but for some reason, they seem to have gone missing so you just settle with a small, cocky smirk as you ridicule, "And here I thought you were rather bright…"

A glare finds it's way to you as she fires back, "Such big words for a man who probably can't even stand on his own two feet by himself right now…"

You drop your smug look as a small amount of annoyance forms in the pit of your stomach; swirling around like some ugly thing while your hands fist into the blanket because you know her words are so disgustingly true.

"...So what do you plan to do now?" she asks, drawing you out of your self loathing and causing you to glance her way once more.

Does she think that just because she's managed to save your ass once that she's privy to things about you? About your life?

"Why do you wish to know?"

Her shoulders move up and down quickly as she offers a shrug. "Just curious," she answers, folding some of her hair behind her ear.

A hint of a smile forms on your lips as you tell her, "Well, they do say that curiosity killed the cat."

A loud sigh escapes from her mouth, showing that she obviously thinks you to be an asshole. In fact, you're pretty sure that you hear her mumble something along the lines of 'fucking bastard' under her breath before she pushes herself up to stand to her full height. Your guard immediately goes back up as you see her begin to approach you, an irritated look in her eye.

You do find it quite ironic though, that your situations seem to be reversed at the moment, and now you are the one who is currently weak while she is the one who could break all of your ribs with a single hit which she just might choose to do because of your rudeness.

Instead of doing any of that though, she manages to surprise you once again as she takes a small parcel that's been wrapped in a wine-colored cloth and throws it down carelessly into your lap.

"Like I said," she begins as she turns to go and collect her rucksack. "If you want to keep your life, you should get out of here soon." Picking her belongings up, she gives you one last glance. "And I suggest that you don't show your face back around here unless you would like one of my fists imbedded into your face."

She spins smartly on her heel to take her leave and looking down, you fold back the soft cloth to see your black glasses resting there, newly repaired.

"…I did it because I hate owing people. That's all," she says, stopping just short of the exit. "So I guess you can just consider this payback.

Then she's gone and you're left alone with a look of surprise that's traversing across your features.