"Senpai?" I call behind Sasuke's closed door. "I'm ready." Wait, what am I ready for? I guess I'm "ready" to enter his room.
"Come in," he calls, and from the sound of it, he's only a few meters away. I push in the door softly and slowly walk in. He's leaning on a desk, and I see on the desk is held a few small items that I can't make out quite yet. I stand at a distance respectfully, awaiting his next command. "Close the door," he says, and I do so. I turn to face him again, and he gestures with his hand for me to come to him, and I step forward, feeling a bit awkward in the unnatural setting.
I try not to keep looking around and what furniture he's placed within these rock walls, but they continuously draw my gaze, my curiosity getting the best of me. I approach Sasuke, holding my respectful posture. I stand a few feet away from him, as to not get in his personal space, and he seems to get a bit irritated.
"Stop being so hostile," he says. "You're acting as if I'm going to give you a virus." I'm kind of surprised by Sasuke's statement, but do as he says, a bit relieved to be able to give up the stance of respect. I come a bit closer to him, looking at what he's placed on the desk, leaning over a bit. I see a small tube of something, and some tiny sheets of paper. Before I can read the label of the tube or the print on the papers, Sasuke places one hand on my shoulder and turns me. Startled by this, I become stiff. "Just... let me turn you. Okay?" He says it kind of forcefully, and I can feel from him that he's becoming irritated. "Why are you being so stiff and tense? Just relax a little."
I catch a glimpse of Sasuke's face, his eyebrows closely knitted in concentration, his black eyes fixated on my neck, lips pressed together and head tilted slightly downwards. He turns me so that my back is to him, and it makes me a bit uncomfortable.
This is so strange, being touched by Sasuke in a... normal way. He's usually so indifferent, wanting to keep all contact with other human beings at a minimum. The only times we've actually made contact were mostly during training, but there's no compassion or warmness behind those touches; only a drive to beat the other person. "I told you to relax," Sasuke says, feeling my tension radiating off my body.
"Sorry," I say quietly and try to calm my nerves. This is just not right. This isn't like Sasuke, to get personal with someone, to be in their personal space in a non-threatening way. Actually, now that I think about it, his hands are very gentle and soft on my shoulders. They're strong and steady, and they feel oddly comforting on me. It gives me a warm feeling, and my mind goes back for a split second to when Sasuke and I first encountered each other. He consolidated me in my time of pain... that comfort I felt when his hand held mine for that split second as he pulled me onto my feet, it was like none other, and I was trapped in that feeling of floating happiness... I shake the memory and focus on the impending situation.
Sasuke pulls away from me, and I can't see what he's doing in my current position. I suppress the urge to turn around and look at all he's doing. I feel him directly behind me a moment later, and he tilts my head to the side. I allow him to do all he's doing, and I feel something wet touch my neck, right on the cut Sasuke had given me not too long ago when he threatened to take my life. I flinch and am about to move away but Sasuke places his other hand on my shoulder firmly so I don't move.
"Don't move," he says firmly, and I comply. Then, I feel the wetness again, a sticky, mushy kind of wetness, and it grosses me out. It kind of stings on my cut, but it's nothing I can't handle. Now I feel it; the tip of Sasuke's finger, dabbing some kind of cream or something on my cut. No, no, this can't be. He's far too cold for that. Right? Well, he did once have compassion for someone, for multiple people; his family. But that's gone now...
"Um, senpai?" I ask quietly. I have to be sure that this is what I think it is.
"What is it?" He replies, just as quietly as me.
"Uh... what are you doing?" There's a short moment of silence, then he answers.
"I'm treating your wound," he answers me, and my heart skips a beat. So it's true! "Why?" He asks me.
"Oh... no reason..." I say, not wanting to answer. He might not like it, and I'm right in his clutches right now.
"Listen," he says as he finishes treating my wound. He turns me around to face him, grasping my arms. I look up at him, my eyes wide with surprise. "Don't lie to me. You don't have to be afraid. I'm not going to hurt you. I know you're wondering why I'm treating your cut. It must be strange for you. But stop acting as if I'm going to suddenly kill you. It's irritating." With that, he turns me back around, and I'm full of shock. Oh god, he already knew my thoughts. I can't get away with anything. He gets something off the desk and continues talking to me. "Rei... do you remember when we first met?
"Uh.. of course, senpai," I reply.
"Do you know why I took you in?" He asks, and my mind is blanked. I never did know why he took me under his wing, and I never bothered to question why either.
"No," I say in full honesty. Better he explains than for me to try to answer a question I don't know.
"I looked at you," he explains slowly, "so much smaller than me, so pathetic and weak... and I saw myself, just for a moment. You'd lost everything and watched it go up in the smoke. Especially... when you begged for your life..." He pauses for a moment, and I feel something soft touch my cut. It wasn't paper on the desk; it was small cuts of bandage. "But in your eyes, I saw a reflection of myself, and I knew you'd become as strong as me. So I took you in to train you, to provide for you, not for you to provide for me. That is why I gave you your name. Rei; 'companion'. You see, you seem to forget that I chose you, not as a servant, not as someone below me, but as someone who'd stand beside me. As my companion. Someone I could trust with my life, and you've become that. That is why you're special to me. But you constantly forget your place. You act like a servant to me, when your place is beside me. So stop putting yourself at my feet." I feel him place the tape on a rolled up cut of bandage, finishing his treating of my wound. He turns me around and looks into my eyes, holding my arms again, but more softly. I stare back into his eyes, not knowing how to react to this.
"Sasuke..." I whisper, and he cuts me off.
"You're my companion, but you still treat me with respect," he says, and I blush in embarrassment, smiling. Well, I guess I still can't call him by his name. Oh well.
"Sorry, senpai," I say, and I see the slightest of smirks appear on the corner of his lips. Then, he turns me back around. "Oh- senpai, what are you doing?"
"I'm going to treat your other wound," Sasuke says, and I'm confused.
"But... I don't have any other-" I begin to say, but am cut off by a sharp sting on the back of my neck. "Ow! What was that?" I slap my hand over where I felt the pain and turn around to see Sasuke with a half smile, holding a kunai with just the tiniest inkling of red on the tip. With my mouth agape, I take my hand off my neck and look at my palm, stained bright red with my blood, still warm and so thin, running down my hand like water. I feel more blood trickle down my neck, and Sasuke makes me turn back around.
"Yes you do," he says. "You have this cut right on the back of your neck. You didn't notice?" I don't reply, unable to wrap my head around this. What is he doing? Why is he doing this? Then, a smile slowly spreads across my face. Sasuke... wants me to stay in his presence, so he's finding a reason for me to stay. "While you're here, I should treat all of your wounds, including the one..." I feel another sharp sting on my back, about midway up, towards my right side. "This one, on your back. For that, you'll have to remove your shirt."
My blood turns to ice in my veins as what Sasuke said sinks in. Did he just ask me to take off my shirt? My heart begins beating faster in my chest. This can't be the same Sasuke. Has he taken on a new personality? Turned a new leaf? Either way, this isn't the same Sasuke who'd threatened me no more than an hour ago. I feel another sharp sting on the inside of my left thigh, and I gasp. My hand instinctively goes to the cut, and I cover it, hissing in pain. It's only a momentary pain, but still, pain nonetheless.
"Don't touch your cuts," Sasuke says casually. "They might get infected. Now, are you going to take your shirt off, or will I have to do it for you?" I immediately turn around to face Sasuke. I can't believe what's happening now, and I look into his eyes to see if he's serious.
"Senpai, what are you-"
"Shh," he cuts me off, putting a finger to my lips. "Turn back around." He puts his hands on my shoulders as he turns my back to him once again. Then, I feel his fingers go to the bottom of my shirt, slowly lifting up my shirt. My heart rate speeds up, and I'm afraid that if I stop him, he might turn his wrath on me. Maybe if I try he'll listen.
"Wait, senpai," I say, my breaths getting shorter, but he doesn't stop.
"Rei," he says. "I'm only treating your wounds." Okay, that isn't going to work. I guess... I just have to let him do this... "Raise your arms," he says as he pulls my shirt up even further. I do as he commands, and actually find myself enjoying this a bit. Does this mean that he'll become affectionate towards me? Will he treat me like more than a friend or companion? Like... his girlfriend? I've always longed for Sasuke's love and affection. He may be cold and closed off, but ever since he took me in, I'd developed love for him, and deep inside I've always wanted him to mirror my feelings for him.
He pulls my shirt all the way off, placing it on his desk. I feel the blood from my neck trickle down my back, and it feels hot. The blood from the cut on my back also runs down, as hot and thin as the blood from the cut on my neck. I feel Sasuke's finger on my back, getting up the blood.
"Hm... I'm going to need something more than my fingers to get up this blood," Sasuke says thoughtfully. "A napkin would be useful, but there are none. I guess I'll just... get it myself."
"What?" I ask, confused. What does he mean? Then, I feel him lean over, one soft hand on my bare shoulder, the other caressing my side. I feel his breath on my back, between my shoulder blades, and my heart skips a beat. "Wait, senpai! I'll just get a napkin!" I try, but it's too late. His wet, hot tongue is on my skin, dragging upwards toward the cut on my neck. It feels good, and I exhale heavily, getting goosebumps all over. He works his way up to the wound, putting his lips gently around the cut. His lips are so soft and warm, and it simply relaxes me. I feel him suck softly on the wound, and I hiss in pain. "Ow, senpai that hurts," I complain.
"Sorry," he whispers, "just getting the blood."
"Why are you doing this?" I whisper just as quietly as him.
"What do you mean?" He asks, putting his lips to my ear. "I'm only treating your wounds. You keep getting the wrong idea." His lips go back to my wound, then he works his way down between my shoulder blades, his lips softly pecking my skin.
"My wound isn't all the way over there," I say, still enjoying the sensation he's giving me.
"I'm getting the blood," he says simply, going no further with it. Then, his lips part from my skin. He applies ointment to the cut on my neck, bandaging it like he did the other. He moves to the slash on my midback, treating it as he did the others. After he's finished, he pulls out the chair from underneath his desk. He turns me around so I'm facing him, looking me in the eye the whole time, and I feel his fingers at the base of my capris, on my waist. Suddenly, I jerk back, laughing, then apologize with a smile on my face.
"Sorry, senpai," I say quietly, looking down. "I'm ticklish." I look up at him, trying to make my smile not so obvious. He has a smirk on his face. He doesn't say anything though, just continues with his doings. This time, instead of simply reaching for my pants, he puts his hands around my waist and pulls me closer, and I instinctively place my hands on his chest. I gasp at the sudden closeness of mine and Sasuke's bodies, and realize where I've placed my hands. I stare at them with wide eyes, and slowly begin to remove them, but Sasuke stops me.
"It's fine," he says. "You need to hold on for balance." I feel my cheeks burn as he speaks these words. Gosh, he's so chill about this, like he's done it a million times. And the way he just makes up excuses for everything, and without delay either... he's so strange. I feel his fingers around my waist work their way down, underneath the fabric of my capris. My heart begins pounding as he continues, my excitement and nervousness growing, and I can't get the question out of my mind; how far does he plan on taking this?
Sasuke leans down as he reveals my legs, soon coming face to face with me, his forehead resting on mine, our bare chests in full contact. I feel something unexpected that really throws me off and surprises me; Sasuke's heart rate is off the charts right now. His breathing soon catches up with his heart, and his breaths become short and heavy.
As he pulls my pants down to my ankles, kneeling down in front of me so that I stand above him, he wraps his arms around my legs and lifts me up, then pushes me back so that I sit on the chair he pulled out. I scoot back in the chair and he pulls my capris all the way off, throwing them to the side. Sasuke's eyes fall upon the cut he put on my thigh, a couple of thin streams of blood flowing from it, and he comes closer to me. His hands go once again around my waist, pulling me closer to the edge of his seat, and he brings his face to my bare legs.
I get goosebumps as Sasuke's hot breath runs across my thighs, and warmness sparks inside me when his tongue drags across my sensitive skin, cleaning the blood while giving me this incredible sensation. He then places soft kisses running along my inner thigh, my fingers now combing through his hair when he abruptly stops. His lips are still on my skin, his hands around my waist, but he sits there, his heart still beating rapidly, his breathing still heavy.
"Leave me," he whispers suddenly. "Go. Now!" He gets up so quickly that I can't even follow his movements.
"Senpai?" I begin, but he doesn't let me finish.
"Take your clothes, and leave," he says quietly. "Before I make you." With that I get up, fear stricken, and I quickly grab my clothes, avoiding Sasuke's gaze, leaving directly to my room. I don't even put on my clothes before I go. I just make a beeline for the door, closing it on my way out. I go directly into my room, closing my door, and I sit on my bed, trying to make sense of all this. Is Sasuke attracted to me? Does he want more than a companionship? Or did that simply mean nothing?
After fifteen minutes of contemplation, I become paranoid and can't stay in my stuffy room, the walls coming in closer, the air becoming less with every breath I draw. I get up and throw on another set of capris and a t-shirt, and I walk out wearing only black socks on my feet. I head for the main room, where Jugo, Karin, and Suigetsu lounge. As soon as I walk in, Karin decides to stir trouble.
"Hey, Rei," she says. "What were you doing in Sasuke's room?" As soon as she says this, Jugo and Suigetsu turn their attention towards me, but I keep walking, not even looking at Karin. She gets upset by this, and before I can leave, she gets up and blocks my path. "Hey! Don't be so rude. I asked you a question."
"Karin," I say quietly, "get out of my way." She crosses her arms, distributing her weight onto one leg, glaring at me from underneath her glasses.
"Why?" She asks. "What, you don't want to answer me? I'm just asking why you were in Sasuke's room when he hasn't even let me in there yet."
"Nobody likes you, Karin," I say blandly. "So why would anyone invite you into their room?" Her face grows red with anger.
"Sasuke likes me!" She says, raising her voice. "He just is a little shy! Anyways, you still haven't answered me. What were you doing in there for such a long time?"
"Just shut up! Why are you constantly spying on Sasuke Senpai anyways?"
"And why did you leave his room holding your clothes in your arms?" This stops me in my tracks, and my heart just about comes out through my chest. What did she just say? It takes me a while to process her words, and in my moment of silence, my face growing hot with embarrassment, Karin slowly smiles. Suigetsu says something to one of us, but I don't hear what he says, my thoughts clouding my mind and blocking out all other activities.
"I... I went into his room because he told me to! Gosh, Karin, you're so nosy!"
"Why did he want you in there, huh? So you two could get frisky?"
"You know what?"
"What?" Karin keeps that stupid smirk on her face, and it makes me so mad I could just kill her. But I don't. I just stand in silence for a while, staring at her beady little eyes. Then, I speak up one last time.
"Maybe if you weren't so annoying and kept your nose in your own business instead of in everyone else's, you'd have been in that room instead of me." Then, I walk away. Karin is such a stupid, annoying little pig! Gosh, I wish Sasuke would just get rid of her! Karin yells something and Suigetsu begins shooting words at her, but I hear none of the context. Then, I feel Karin turn towards me, a bit too quickly. I turn around to her just in time to see a shuriken coming my way, but before it can penetrate my flesh, I sandwich it between my palms, stopping it in its tracks. Good thing Sasuke's taught me to be quick.
I throw down the shuriken and continue my way towards the exit, and Karin lets out a shriek of anger. I smirk to myself as I walk out of the doorway into a dark corridor, and it feels as if I'm walking away from a giant explosion. Like a boss. I wish Karin would explode, though. Oh well. I guess I can't have my cake and eat it, too. At least Jugo and Suigetsu are okay. Suigetsu can be pretty funny sometimes, and I enjoy seeing Karin get so mad because of him. Perhaps the way I enjoy seeing Suigetsu amused by Karin's anger is the way Sasuke likes seeing me be amused by the same thing.