Serpent Tongue
By Angel of the Odd
Author's Notes: This one's for lovesrainscent Hope you enjoy!
To many, snakes are a source of terror. They slither through the unconscious mind like the remnants of some deep primordial evil. An ancient, inexplicable fear. To others, the snake is a symbol of wisdom. A venerable creature who hides the secrets of the world behind unblinking eyes. Some cultures view them as the embodiment of sensuality. Seductive and sensuous. Pure, writhing Sexuality. Just as important, there are those who regard the serpent for its medical powers. They represent regeneration, renewal, and rebirth.
To Kabuto there was nothing on earth more beautiful, and, to him, Orochimaru was the very incarnation of the Serpent God. While it is known many cultures before him had worshiped such beings, none had been worthy enough to walk beside the flesh and blood avatar of this most ancient deity. None before had experienced the rapturous joy of being loved in return by the holy serpent.
Orochimaru's love was as unfathomable and as deep as the oceans. It was overflowing and unpredictable. It could be cold and cruel. It took a man with such a strength of character as Kabuto to delve into such waters and return alive.
Little understood is the follower of the serpent. All actions and words are done in faith. Being with Orochimaru was holy communion itself. Each whispered word a prayer. Each scream a cry to the heavens. Kabuto's body was the supreme sacrificial offering. His hot breath, the sweetest incense. The beads of sweat trickling from his forehead anointing his Lord's feet like perfumed oil.
The hisses of pleasure emitted during their union confirmed Kabuto's services had not gone unappreciated and when Orochimaru was pleased the gifts he could bestow were far more precious than gold or frankincense. His blessings were more sacred than material trinkets or empty promises of salvation.
With each gentle flicker of his tongue upon Kabuto's thigh all wounds seemed to be healed. Sharp teeth, hidden by soft lips, contained a venom potent enough to poison lesser men but which coursed through Kabuto's veins like a refreshing tonic. Those eyes which hypnotized weaker prey revealed mysteries meant only for one who knew the rhythmic, pulsing dance of the snake charmer. Coils used to squeeze the life out of enemies became encircling arms; the only place where peace and comfort could be found.
There had been no golden apple or fall from grace that had led Kabuto to this enchantment. No story spun from threads of guilt and betrayal. He had come to this place on his own accord. He had come with the knowledge already in his heart. This was the reason why Orochimaru valued him above all others. He had not stumbled across this path by accident. So many others had sought him blindly, with a look of misty-eyed naivety, enraptured by the mystery of the unknown and seeking its answers. Kabuto had come with a longing in his heart that, at the time, he did not yet fully understand. It was the simple desire to seek out one such as himself.
The Snake Lord smiled upon his slumbering mate. Fate must have played a role in finding such a mortal capable of understanding. Capable of comprehending the subtle changes of the world around them and the wisdom to adapt with it. Survival, after all, was the ability to shed old beliefs and preconceived notions as a snake sheds its skin.
Together, they would light the world ablaze and raise from the ashes a new and glorious temple. Together they would create a new garden. An Eden where the snake's true story could finally be told.