Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Obviously has manga spoilers.

Three Strikes

It would have been natural for the two to notice each other because they were the youngest in the vicinity. There was some type of celebration in Otogakure due to the arrival of a very important young shinobi. Although Orochimaru seemed to be the only one up for merriment, many decided to join in to the festivities anyway.

During the commotion, Karin had offered the elderly Sanin a glass of water. She decided that the creases in his face were not from rapid aging, but from being parched. Truthfully, she really wanted to get on his good side. While those nearby gave daggers to the small, auburn haired girl, Orochimaru graciously took the drink. Not too long after he began to quench his thirst, his eyes and veins suddenly bulged as he began to choke on the beverage. As Kabuto went into hysterics and others pretended not to see, Karin unconsciously gave a smirk and looked away from the entertaining scene. Her eyes met the ones of young boy who was openly laughing. His unique, spiked teeth were bared as he howled; another amusing sight for her to remember. Karin began to cackle at both of the funny sights and abruptly walked away before she displeased the Orochimaru any further.

As he watched her depart the chaotic scene, the young boy, Suigetsu, realized that he would definitely able to at least tolerate the strange girl.

oOo

Suigetsu acquired a more well-rounded opinion on Karin the first time they were incarcerated together. They sat in their jail cell waiting to be poked and prodded when the topic of their master came up. Suigetsu was the one to bring him into conversation; he wanted to criticize Orochimaru as much as he could before the old Sanin kicked the bucket. Whilst skillfully tossing a small rock, he talked of how ugly the older shinobi was, and his aggravating voice did not help either. Suigetsu made an offhand comment on how the old man couldn't even control his own organization because there were too many two-faced people in Otogakure anyway. He could have gone on longer, but Karin had rudely interrupted him by making a sound.

"Hmph."

Suigetsu stopped tossing the pebble in the air and gave her a focused, aggravated look. Karin folded her arms and vigorously shook her head as if her beliefs and thoughts were seriously attacked. Wrinkling her nose and giving him a perverse expression in return, she spoke to what was now apparently the scum of the earth.

"I like Orochimaru."

Suigetsu immediately threw the rock towards the young girl. Without a doubt, that was when he decided that he disliked Karin.

oOo

Uchiha Sasuke was touring the corridors--a practice he usually accomplished after a long day of training. He rarely acknowledged the commoners, but when he did he was so bad-mannered about it that his greeting was nothing to brag about. When Suigetsu was young, he always wanted to meet and talk with Orochimaru's favored student. Nevertheless, he was not so young anymore.

In contrast, Karin still was.

On days Sasuke made his appearance she would be the first to try to speak to him. When she thought Suigetsu was too absorbed in his own juvenilly to be looking or listening, she took off her glasses and called out the young Uchiha's name. One good day she greeted him and Sasuke actually gave a chaste nod in return. After that incident, Karin often chattered on about how much cooler, more mature, and stronger Uchiha Sasuke was than Hoozuki Suigetsu.

That was when Suigetsu decided that he hated Karin, because in her eyes, Sasuke had taken away what he had been striving for. As much as he hated to admit it, it hurt.

Unfortunately for him, it has been the same way ever since.

Author's Note: Finally got to write Suika. It was more one-sided to me, but it doesn't even have to be taken as romance. I don't even believe there's romance between them in the manga. Anyway, I wanted to post this before February 29th was over.

I'm still working on my chaptered fic. I just haven't had time to write a full chapter since I've been preparing for the SAT and dealing with a lot of homework.