Chapter 2: A Week With a Warning
It'd been a week since she'd started going to school. She was in Anatomy, sitting with Itachi, while Orochimaru lectured. Itachi leaned over to her suddenly, and she looked at him.
"Do you know him, Higurashi?" He asked.
"I live with him," She replied, shortly. "I've known him since I was seven."
He nodded curtly and returned his gaze to Orochimaru. His eyes narrowed as he thought, and then he said to her, "I want to talk to you after class."
She gulped. "A-Alright."
When the bell rang, Itachi grabbed her wrist and practically dragged her out of the room, not without Orochimaru's notice. He stood in the door way, listening to the Uchiha speak.
"Move out of his place." Itachi said immediately.
"What are you talking about?" Yukiko said, incredulous.
"He's dangerous, Yukiko."
"Dangerous? What do yo-"
"Listen. Don't speak. I don't like the way he looks at you." His eyes were serious, he wasn't teasing her as he had before. He was honestly concerned, and she could tell.
"He looks at you like a snake looks at a wounded bird; like he wants to devour you. It worries me. I was teasing you before, but..." He looked around.
"I think he's... interested in you. That could turn into something predatory and damaging to you, Yukiko, and it worries me."
Orochimaru grimaced. What no one else could notice, Itachi would. And what he said... He could hurt her. He could... traumatize her.
"Thank you," She said, "For your concern, Uchiha-san, I appreciate it. But... I trust him. I trust him more than anyone. Even if what you say is true, I don't care because I care about him. I'll do whatever it takes to make him happy."
"Even if it's more than you're willing to give?" He asked her.
"I'm willing to give everything if it will make him happy."
Orochimaru retreated then. He went into his office, and buried his face in his hands. The rest of the day passed very slowly, and the next day too. Yukiko noticed how unfocused he was, and it worried her. But until the day ended, she could do nothing.
He hadn't been able to stop thinking about her. He'd given every class a study hall, and now he sat in his study just thinking of her. Her innocence, her bright blue eyes... he loved them. It was as he was thinking about this that she came in. She wasn't trying to sneak in or anything, but he was so lost in thought that he didn't notice her until her hand slid onto his.
The contact was like electricity and he barely held back the moan that threatened to escape him as he felt his member throb. He looked at her, her face twisted in concern for him. She must've noticed how unfocused he'd been.
"Orochimaru," She said, softly, "What's wrong? Is everything alright?"
The concern on her face, in her voice, made him throb. Her innocence made him want such filthy things. Her honest, pure, platonic love for him... Made him want her. He looked at her. Stared into her eyes for so long he was sure he was worrying her. But how could he tell her that... that it was her that made him feel complete, that he was in love with her, and had been since they'd met ten years ago?
"Orochimaru, it's ok," She told him, "You can tell me anything, you know that right?"
"Yukiko," He said, feeling a loss of control coming on, "Please, leave me be."
"What? No, not if you're-"
"I just feel ill, alright?"
"Ah- Oh, I see. I'm sorry. Please get some rest, alright?"
"I will," He said as he watched her leave. "I... I will."
But he didn't.
He found himself standing outside of her bedroom door. He walked in without knocking and saw her sitting at the windowsill.
"You're still awake, Yukiko?" He asked, surprised.
"Yeah. I was thinking."
"Do you feel alright?"
"Yea-... No, I'm worried about you," She admitted.
"Yukiko..." He trailed off. He stared at her. Her supple, beautiful form, the scar down her face showing because her hair was pinned back.
"Orochimaru?" She asked, noticing his stare. She stood, in her pajamas, and walked over to him.
He had to warn her. If she said his name-
"Orochimaru? What's-"
He pinned her to her bed. He wrapped his arms around her, gently, passionately, and he kissed her. Her eyes widened in surprise as his tongue pushed into her mouth. He pressed himself against her heatedly, he slid his lips down to her neck and nibbled at her skin affectionately.
Yukiko wasn't sure she trusted herself to speak to him, but she tried, "Oro-Orochimaru, how... how long have you felt this way?"
"I realized what my feelings really were 7 years ago, but I've had them since we met, Yukiko." He told her earnestly as he unbuttoned her shirt. His eyes widened suddenly. He pulled back, looking at her.
"Yukiko... What-" He said, anger flaring and eyes watering suddenly. She had scars all over her torso, and when he slipped her bottoms down he found that they laced down her body to her mid thighs. "What ha- No, when- Yukiko?!"
His lust was replaced by his shock as she sat up. She looked down, ashamed. "I- I'm sorry, I wasn't supposed to- I wasn't expecting-"
"Yukiko," He said, sternly, "Who. Did. This. To. You?"
Tears fell from her eyes as she, after a moment, answered, "Father... He said... Not to tell anyone or... he'd..." She looked away from him, sobbing very hard suddenly.
"He'd what, Yukiko?"
"He'd kill you..."
His eyes widened. All this time she'd hidden it from him... to protect him.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I didn't- You mean everything to me, I couldn't let him-"
"Yukiko," He said, pushing her chin up and making her look at him. "I'll tell you something good."
"What?"
"I love you."
She looked at him silently, tears running down her face. She seemed to be thinking. She leaned forward and kissed him. He was driven wild and the lust returned. He moved into her, pushing her down, whispering sweet nothings into her ear as he undressed her. She pushed the robe from his shoulders anxiously, pushing him up and grinding against him.
"Yukiko," He gasped, "Yukiko, I-"
"I know," She said, "I know you need me. It's alright, Oro, it's alright. I'm yours. Take me."
And he did.
The two of them stayed home that day. Orochimaru didn't want to be seperated from her at all, nor she from him, and so they lay there together, sleeping in one another's arms. Yukiko opened her eyes and looked at him, smiling in his sleep. She wasn't sure what any of this meant. Were they together? Was she a fling for him? She wasn't sure. She wasn't even sure what she wanted. Itachi was right about it hurting her, she realized, as she noticed she was crying. She remembered what she said to him; about doing whatever it took to make him happy.
She had made him happy, she knew. She thought that for now, that was enough. She could live with it all if it made him happy. She snuggled closer to him, burying her face in his chest. He awoke, and on seeing she was still with him, wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close with a contented sigh.
"Be mine," He whispered to her, "Be mine forever."
She leaned up and kissed him, for she had no words to answer him.
