A/N: Drabble written after watching episode 40. Zaku meeting Orochimaru, told in 2nd person from Zaku's perspective. First posting, so all feedback of any variety, fluff to flame, is appreciated.

Disclaimer: Not mine.

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Snake

The pale man smiles, and even though it's far from warm (never warm, Orochimaru-sama could never be warm even if he tried), it awakens in you something like hope, because you haven't seen anyone smile in such a long time. You think you should be afraid of this snake-smile, but push the twisting feeling in your stomach away. Sleeping on the street with nothing but ragged clothes and an empty stomach, fear is all you can remember, and you've had enough.

Hours ago, you were digging through piles of garbage for food. You found nothing but half-rotted scraps, which you ate anywayand threw up seconds later, leaving you hungrier than before and curled up on the ground, shaking madly from the pain, afraid that maybe this was the end, after all.

Fear is lying helpless on the ground, clutching a loaf of bread – more than you've eaten all week – while two men beat you within an inch of your life. You don't let go. Even if you want to, you don't think you could. Barely conscious, and the one thing tying you to reality is that small loaf of bread in your hand, because after this, if you don't eat, you know you won't have the strength to get up again. All you'll be is another corpse rotting in a deserted alley, like so many before you.

Fear has done nothing but starve you, and you have no reason to feed it anymore.

The snake eyes smile, and even if they are not kind, or gentle, or any of the things you can almost remember your parents being if you think back far enough, they promise food and a warm place to sleep. They promise a full life – maybe even a long life – outside the slum which you know will kill you if you stay much longer. If you look deep enough, you can almost see a place where you might belong (probably just the laughter but maybe just maybe it's there).

He offers you power, and you accept, because those bastards are never gonna touch you again. Ever.