Fluid

That's all Log felt as he sleepily floated in the glass tube. Occasionally, he'll see shadows pass- obscured by refraction- some talking loudly and others in a hoarse, low voice. It was the hoarse one he knew best, the voice that he heard talking to him as its shadow stood close to Log's tube. He said things like Soon and My child. Soon what? Log wanted to ask, but he didn't know how. He felt new and old- as if he understood everything and nothing. He knew the man with the hoarse voice is his parent, but what is a parent?

"It's almost time." The voice -his parent's voice- is back.

Log saw no other shadow than the man's, meaning that it's just them together in that room. Just them together. Log was not used to thinking of himself as one of them- the shadows.

The shadow continued to walk closer, closer to the tube than Log has ever remembered him to ever have been. Slowly, he started to notice more details about the shadow- no- his parent. Glossy black hair that falls over bright golden eyes (Log vaguely remembers seeing his own light blue hair in the reflection of the glass), purple markings that contour the sides of the nose. Slowly his parent raised a pale hand to the glass, his palm flat.

Log stared, confused. He had hands too, right? He looked away from the man's face and down at his limbs. He looked up to the glass again only to see a peculiar emotion float across his parent's face-disappointment? - for a moment before fading away.

Yes, he has hands too.

Log flexed his fingers. His parent seemed as if he was about to turn away, and Log knew there was something he should do- or is it that his parent wanted him to do? Carefully, the boy placed his small hand against tube where the bigger one is. He could feel the warmth of the other's hand against his palm. His parent seemed shocked for a second, and then amused. Log didn't understand what was so amusing, but he did know that it… felt nice. Even through the glass tube, Log could feel a certain warmth that he had never felt before floating alone in the water.

Slowly, the child placed another hand on the glass, needing more of that heat against his skin. His parent seemed to understand the gesture, placing his other hand against it. The amused look had disappeared off his face, replaced with something softer. Almost tenderness, but not quite there yet.

They both stood- floated- for what felt for both like hours and not nearly enough time.

Log was surrounded by books.

His parent had been trying to get him to read more and decided that a wonderful way to do so was stick him in the hideout's humongous library. He bit the inside of his cheek. He wasn't at a reading level high enough to understand the science-related scrolls yet, and Orochimaru knew that. So that's why he had Sugietsu go out buy some children's novels, each other them personally approved by Orochimaru himself.

However, Log didn't know where to start.

Eventually he settled on small hardcover book, A Day Out with Family.

Family. Log didn't really know what that word meant, he only knew that he had one person who called himself his parent. Reading through this book, though, Log encountered interesting words: Aunts, Uncles, Brothers, Sisters. The most interesting to him, however: Grandmothers and Grandfathers.

He had to admit to himself he knew nothing about his parent, especially if his parent also had parents. Was that even possible?

Well I suppose you're not born a parent, Log mused to himself.

In the book it seemed that the main character's parents had parents and she called them Grandparents.

"Grandmother, Grandfather", Log tried to feel the shape of the words on his tongue. He was hit with a sudden spark of curiosity. Did he also have…?

Log rushed out of the library as fast as his young legs could take him. Where is he? Log poked his head through each doorway he came across, looking for that familiar black pony tail. He considered calling out to him. Log brushed that idea away almost as fast as it had come. He didn't want to worry his parent, and yelling his name while running through the hallway was sure to do it.

Finally, he found Orochimaru seated in the main laboratory, pushing buttons with the same soft frown he had on his face every time he was concentrating heavily on something. Log considered not bothering him, he knew from experience that Orochimaru did not like to be disturbed while conducting research.

Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back- that was his parent's favorite saying. So, he would be fine with being bothered, right?

Log stood awkwardly in the doorway. He opened his mouth to call out but Orochimaru beat him to it.

"Are you going to stand there forever, child?" He didn't break eye contact with the monitor.

Log started and his bit his lip. He walked up behind his parent and stood there before hesitatingly saying, "I have a question."

His parent looked away from the computer, giving his child his full attention. "And that is…?"

"Do you have parents?" Log blurted.

Orochimaru blinked, then he pursed his lips. "Do I have…?" He hesitated. "Yes. I used to."

Log sensed it was a touchy subject, but he couldn't stop himself. "What… what were they like?"

"They were…", His parent frowned. Log couldn't tell if he was trying to recall memories or trying to push them away. "… good. Loving. They were shinobi who saw so much death but came home to me as if everything was okay." His shoulders seem to sag. "Until they didn't. Come home, that is."

He had to know more. "Were they… smart? Like you?"

Orochimaru gave his son a rueful smile. "Smarter than I'll ever hope to be, child."

They boy couldn't stop a wide smile from spread across his face. "Really?" This is amazing! "My grandparents sound awesome!"

Orochimaru went still. "…grandparents?"

"Yup!" Log turned around, giggling. He turned to give his parent one last toothy grin. "We're all family, right?"

He existed the room, not realizing he had left his parent speechless for the first time in a long time.

Swoosh

Log ducked, managing to dodge his parent's sword by a mere inch. He raised his own weapon straight, thrusting it forward, hoping that he'll hit his mark but also hoping that he'll miss- not wanting to hurt Orochimaru. He shut his eyes and threw all his weight into the stab and –

Nothing

Suddenly, the pale man was behind him -curse his speed, Log winced- and with a swift, powerful kick, the boy was on the floor face first. The tip of his parent's sword a mere nick away from slicing into his spinal cord.

"Your sword fighting skills have gotten better, my child," Orochimaru pulled his sword back and stood, looking down at his son. "Although you have to work on your speed."

Log grimaced and pushed himself off the ground. Usually his parent went easier on him during their training sessions, pulling many of his punches and even allowing himself to be hit a few times- although Log suspected that Orochimaru only did that to discern if Log was truly practicing his chakra control or just lying to him. But recently his parent has been… nervous, for the lack of a better term.

"My apologies. I'll get faster, I promise."

Orochimaru frowned, the two of them now being face-to-face. "A promise means nothing when you're fighting for your life, Log. There will be people who will want to hurt you and you can either kill them first or manage to escape with your life. Other than those two options, you will be dead."

"But-"

A hand was placed on his head. "Death is a cruel thing, my child. I wouldn't like for it to happen to you anytime soon."

All Log could do was shut his mouth and look down at the ground. Sometimes he just couldn't tell with his parent. There were times when Orochimaru seemed always preoccupied with his research, brushing off Log, distant. And there are times like these, when he seemed almost caring. When his golden eyes would soften as he looked at his son, patient and maternal.

"If you ever want me to allow you to go on missions outside of this lab, Log, you're going to have to get faster and smarter- I won't allow you to walk out there unprepared."

The teenage boy stifled a sigh. So, this is what his parent was all worked up about? "I'll be fine. Besides, it's a long way before you decide to allow me out there, isn't it?"

Orochimaru didn't say anything, he just lifted his hand off Log's hair before turning around and walking towards the exist. He stopped and looked back. "Train- and then we'll see".

Log hid a grin that was quickly spreading over his face. So, he's finally coming around to the idea, huh?