A/N: This is my first attempt at a Orochimaru/OC love story…It's rather weird and maybe that's because my character is involved in the whole thing. Tell me what you think after reading…
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Kurayami sat on the roof outside her window in the rain, shivering as the cold wet drops slid down her back. She had no idea how long she had been out there, but time really didn't matter to her at the moment. She was aware only of the dull pain her neck was causing her.
It's him, Kurayami told herself, gritting her teeth as a particularly sharp jolt of pain coursed through her body. He's close again…watching…
She was content to let him watch. He could watch her suffer from the pain he inflicted upon her all he wanted. She didn't care. Not as long as he kept his distance and didn't touch her while she thought things through.
Absently, she reached up and touched the two marks that he had barely managed to give her. It was the same mark he had given to Anko in the past and Sasuke Uchiha not so long ago, only theirs were complete marks and had inflicted them great pain. Sasuke's had been sealed, hers had not.
The difference went farther than that simple curse sealing. She enjoyed the pain as it was a reminder of the past deeds she had done. Oh, how she had tortured so many people back then. How she had made so many innocent people suffer under her hand and all because of the man who had given them all the curse mark, playing with the evil strands that resided in her heart, her mind, her soul.
These unfinished marks also gave her a connection to the man who had once controlled her future. She frequently found that she could use it to locate him and check in once in a while – he was such a willing fountain of knowledge that she simply couldn't let him slip out of her grip too quickly – without the knowledge of her fellow Leaf ninjas. They also gave her some insight into what he was planning, but she really didn't give a damn about what he was going to do with Sasuke Uchiha. Kurayami wanted to know what he had in store for her and her demons.
Demons…
She smirked as the thought crossed her mind. Demons were exactly why Orochimaru had gotten involved with her when she was a little girl and a Jounin. She often wandered if he would still cherish her if she had been a normal kunoichi, without her demons, but with the abilities of her clan. Would he still want her as badly if she was only part of the famous Houka clan? Would she be so great in her abilities right now that not only would normal ninjas like Kakashi and Gai, evil ninjas like Itachi, and normal men want her, but so would the legendary Sanin in the Sound Village?
No, it's the demons, Kurayami told herself, resting her chin upon her knees. Ai especially …I'm just the shelter, the body of the demons of his desires.
Surprisingly that didn't bother her as much as she had once thought it would. It didn't bother her that someone like Orochimaru would want her just for her demons. It was like Itachi loving her only for her power and her beauty. Only Kakashi was the one who loved her for her whole being, but their love was forbidden. And she hadn't even given people like Gai a chance because he was too weird and like Kakashi, too good for her.
I don't deserve a good man, Kurayami told herself. I don't have a right to the love of any good man. I've done so many things that have hurt people and destroyed many lives. I've tortured people beyond sanity and recognition and I did it all out of sport and blind devotion to two of the worst criminals out there. I'm an evil being and my demons' insatiable appetite for blood and death doesn't make it any easier for me to change.
I know they agree with me being with Kakashi, but that's forbidden…Itachi would just have me murder more people for the hell of it while he slowly kills himself by using his Sharingan too much and Ai totally dislikes him…Only when we were with Orochimaru did everyone in my head get along. He made me believe that what I was doing was right and erased all the doubt somehow. Ceres agreed with his methods, Ai only had a grudge against him because she lost to him once in battle, and I…well, I had no problem with him because he made me feel like I belonged…like I was powerful.
Kurayami winced as pain wracked her body from his closeness. The good little kunoichi in her screamed at her to get up and tell Kakashi, who was just in the next room, to sound the alarm because the bad guy was here. That voice was blocked out by the pain when it erupted again. And the badass voice in her head drowned out the little voice by telling her not to depend on Kakashi to do the hard work for her. That kind of dependence had almost gotten him killed several times and the good part of her couldn't stand that idea. The part that loved him beyond belief yelled at the badass to shut up and stop trying to make her feel guilty about something he did out of love and devotion.
Do something about it!
Kurayami stood up and shook rain sodden strands of hair out of her face. She would have to deal with Orochimaru herself and hope that she could stand doing so.
She jumped from the roof of Kakashi's house and ran down the street, using her Houka clan's famous speed to her advantage once more. She could easily sense where he was and hoped that Anko wouldn't be heading there too. This was something that wanted to do herself and maybe she could save the village for just a little longer.
This is pointless! Kurayami thought, touching her neck when the curse mark burned again. I know I can't defeat him without getting myself killed at the same time. I should get some help…but no…I don't think he's here to fight right now. Though it would be so like him to start a fight out of nowhere…
She snickered and hurried towards the Forest of Death. It was about time that she returned there again anyway. She hadn't been in the mood for training lately and loved to blame it on the curse mark if she could. And she knew she couldn't because then Kakashi would drag her to Lady Tsunade and the two of them would seal up the curse mark and she would never be allowed to doubt herself again lest she break the curse seal and let the curse mark consume her.
The idiots.
Kurayami didn't like to think of Kakashi Hatake as an idiot, but there were times when she couldn't help it. He was just clueless when it came to the Orochimaru of the present. He had no idea what he truly wanted other than the Uchiha boy. He had no idea what she needed in life and though he was so loving and good to her, she needed him to be so much more. He just couldn't be that man and was an idiot to not see it, but she played along as if she was happy.
She was never happy, she realized as she jumped over the fence leading into the Forest of Death, wary of attracting attention by opening one of the doors. It wasn't her fault that she needed so much danger and 'evil' in her life to make her happy. That's just how she was.
She flew through the trees, ignoring the sounds of insects far larger than the other bugs outside of the enclosed forest of death. She was too intent on getting to the center where she knew Orochimaru waited to give a damn about the poisonous insects and dangerous animals that lurked in this training ground. A large snake or bug could have been tagging along after her, intent on making her a night snack, and she wouldn't give a damn about it.
She stopped only once when her neck caused her extreme pain. Under the shelter of a large tree's canopy, she allowed herself to crouch on a branch of the tree, shivering from a mixture of pain and cold.
Why couldn't he have waited for a clear night? Kurayami complained silently, looking up through the scattered openings in the canopy at the cloudy sky. At least then I would be a better condition to fight than I am now.
"Ami…"
Kurayami's eyes snapped straight ahead as she heard her name echo around the forest. She shook her head when she saw nothing and jumped from the branch she was on, taking flight once more.
"Ami……."
I'm close now, Kurayami thought as the bursts of pain radiating from her neck started getting closer and closer together.
She frowned as she jumped from the safety of the branches of the forest once she was in the middle of the Forest of Death. She could make out a tiny form on top of the tower, though she knew whoever it was up there was taller in person.
Got to be aware of clones, Kurayami reminded herself, reaching into her shruikan holster and pulling out a couple of shruikan and a kunai knife as a precaution.
Kurayami crouched down at the base of the tower and felt her muscles contract and release. She went shooting upwards and caught herself on the roof of the tower, amused that she had made it only that far up the tower. Oh well, it was better than what she had managed before.
Kurayami swung her legs backwards and flipped up onto the roof of the tower. It was worse up here than it was on the roof of her and Kakashi's place. The wind threatened to knock her down and the rain was horrible. Kurayami wobbled a bit as thunder roared across the sky.
Damn that hurt! Kurayami complained silently, holding a hand to her ear. At least it's not as bad as the vibrations that the Sound ninja give off…
She shuddered at the thought and let her hand trail down the side of her face and down her neck until it came to rest on the curse mark which was steadily shooting out waves of dull pain. She could feel Orochimaru's presence though she couldn't see him any longer. She allowed herself a moment to close her eyes against the pain.
It's amazing that there are only two people in the world that scare Orochimaru, she mused as she felt his presence grow more prominent. Itachi and…Damn! Why does it have to hurt this way?
"Oh, is that old parting gift still causing you pain?"
Kurayami's eyes remained closed when she heard that voice. "It's not as bad as it was before…when you first gave to me, Orochimaru. But it's annoying for a partial curse mark."
She knew there was a twinge of anger in his voice when he opened his mouth again. "And to think that you've endured it so long without a curse seal or slipping into madness…Impressive."
Kurayami smirked, but kept her eyes closed as she let her hand fall to her side. "I've never had a problem with pain. I thought that was one of my finer qualities that you enjoyed…"
"Oh, it is."
Kurayami's eyes snapped open when she felt his breath on her skin. He moved away ever so slightly, but kept his eyes locked on hers.
"Still don't like to be touched I see," Orochimaru commented, smirking. "Even before you are touched you act like have been and immediately put up your guard…"
Except around Kakashi…
"It's what keeps me alive around people like you." Kurayami said, glancing down at his hands hanging uselessly down by his side. "But you don't offer much of a threat to me without your pawns."
Orochimaru turned his head slightly. "Do you honestly think I came here to start a fight with you, dear Ami?"
"These days, there's no telling what you want." Kurayami pointed out. "After you bit Sasuke and killed the Third Hokage…I lost track of what you wanted…"
"Oh, are you jealous?" Orochimaru asked, his shoulder rolling and Kurayami knew he wanted to touch her face with one of his hands, caress it the way he had once done when she returned to his side after the Akatsuki tired her. "You don't have to be. Sasuke doesn't show the same potential as you do. In fact, I have better plans for you, my dear neko. Do you want to know them?"
"Of course I do."
"Well, you'll just have to be patient."
Kurayami's eyes narrowed. "Why do I have to be patient? What are you planning Orochimaru?" she demanded, getting angry at being left in the dark.
The burning in her neck was easily ignored at the moment.
"Certain things must be put in place before I can even begin to start the plan." Orochimaru explained. "And it has nothing to do with what I planned to do with the Uchiha. No, this one is made especially for you."
Kurayami swatted aside the tongue that flicked in her face. She wasn't going to let him distract her.
"You want to know if I'm still loyal to you first, don't you?" Kurayami asked, crossing her arms.
"I know what you are to me, Ami. I'm not afraid that I've lost you to the simple ninja of this Village I despise so. They have nothing to teach you, nothing to excite you the way I can in your old Village."
"The Sound Village," Kurayami whispered.
"Yes. It's been awhile since you last visited. Everyone is missing you. Kabuto hasn't quite forgiven you for leaving."
Kurayami's eyes searched his face. "What about you? Have you missed me?"
"Oh yes. I have missed you the most. No one could kill the way you do and no one has intrigued me more." He stepped closer to her, so that his breath once more touched her face, but Kurayami didn't back away. "You will come back to the Sound Village soon, my dear Ami."
"Soon?" Kurayami asked.
"You can't possibly come back now. I'm in no condition to touch you…to hold you…" He smirked. "I can't even fight you properly right now."
Kurayami's eyes flickered down to his arms once more. "Because of your arms…"
"Yes. That is a bit of an inconvenience, but we will be together as we should be, soon Ami." Orochimaru promised.
Kurayami nodded slowly and tilted her head to one side, ignoring the rain drops that fell near her eye. "Would you like to finish the curse mark this time?"
Orochimaru smirked. "And if you don't survive the pain this time?"
"I'll take my chances. Now hurry up and do it before I change my mind!" Kurayami snapped, keeping her eyes focused on the distant buildings where she knew her friends were sleeping.
Orochimaru's teeth pierced her skin in the exact place they had when she was younger. This time was different though. Kurayami didn't jerk away from him before his teeth completely pierced her flesh and she didn't move until he had pulled away from her. She touched her neck and knew that the curse mark was complete now.
"Until we see each other again, Ami," Orochimaru whispered, placing a small kiss on her still lips.
Kurayami watched as he vanished in front of her with blank eyes. She wasn't about to scream in pain until he was completely gone. If she was going to sell her soul to that evil man, she wasn't going to give him any premature presents or satisfaction that he had given her unbearable pain.
He's afraid of angry me…
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Kurayami barely managed to get back to the house, stumbling as the pain wracked through her body. She couldn't let Kakashi see it or he'd put a curse seal on it for sure, ending all chances of her getting out of this boring life. She loved Kakashi, she trusted him…she really did, but she just couldn't let him do that to her.
She threw some sake down her throat and swallowed. It was the best she could do to cover up her problems and her appearance would give that some aid. She had found a number of different, dangerous animals in the Forest of Death and had let them beat her up almost as much as she beat them up. The wounds from the fights easily caused her more pain and she completely overrode the healing factor of her demons, begging them to let her use these wounds to cover up her complete curse mark. They agreed and even did their best to make it look like it was still an incomplete mark.
Kurayami couldn't thank them enough as she slipped into the living room of the house, drenched and blood stained. She lied easily to Kakashi about what had happened though the fight with the animals she kept true. He fell for it all very easily, being a trusting person when it came to her when she was all beat up, and caught her before she hit the ground. His absolute devotion to her made her love him a little bit more, but she wasn't going to admit to it anytime soon. Her betrayal towards him with a more powerful man would just make that a moot point and she was sure he would never forgive her.
Oddly, she found that she could live with that as she completely blacked out in his arms on the way to the hospital.
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A few months later…
Kurayami was laying next to Kakashi on the couch, watching him sleep when her neck burned. Sasuke was still gone and Kakashi had been very overworked lately. Kurayami stood up, careful not to disturb Kakashi as he caught up on his Z's, and walked out of the room. She slid the window to her room open and crept out onto the roof.
There a Sound ninja stood, watching her. Kurayami reached up and untwisted the strap of her spaghetti strap shirt, never taking her eyes off of the Sound ninja.
"So, you've finally come," Kurayami muttered, crossing her arms. "That means…"
The Sound ninja approached her slowly and lifted his arms. Kurayami only stiffened slightly when one arm slid around her waist and held her to him while the other bore the hand that caressed her face ever so gently. It was a miracle and she was going to beat the story of how out of him later.
"You're free," Orochimaru whispered, looking at her with his eyes though his appearance was not that of his own. "Free from this pitiful life that you have allowed yourself to be ensnared by, my dear neko…"
Kurayami smiled and let him touch his lips to hers. So, this is what selling your soul to the evil side is like, she thought. I'm not going to complain unless he turns into a bunch of bugs and a rotting corpse…
"Let's go…" Kurayami whispered when he pulled away from her. "I'm ready to go home Lord Orochimaru."
"I'm glad to hear it."
Kurayami glanced over her shoulder once when they walked towards the edge of the roof, hearing that nagging voice once more. Kakashi was in there, sleeping without the knowledge of what she was doing.
It's for the best, Kurayami thought, looking back at Orochimaru, who still had an arm wrapped around her. I'm sorry Kakashi-sensei, but I'm not worth saving…I like the wrong side too much.
"Time to go home."
After all this time…
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A/N: So, you've read this weird piece I've created. Tell me what you think, even if you think that it's a totally horrible story and I should be put down and out of my misery. I like flames. So flame on!