a/n: A reviewer gave me a 'I see what you did there' about this story, which i greatly appreciate the review but I'd like to take a moment to point out that, while Orochimaru and Midori are not canon and Midori is purely a OC and fictional, that Orochimaru being Mitsuki's father is canon. Mitsuki says it himself during a mission with his team where Boruto, Sarada, and Mitsuki are to capture a Panda, and he says that he believes his father Orochimaur to be stronger than Sasuke and Naruto.

Thought my stories are sub-par in my own opinion, I try to do a lot of research before hand, to stay as accurate as possible, even if Orochimaru acts a bit OOC here.

Mitsuki's Adventures

Chapter 4- My Movie Night

Mitsuki had chosen a horror movie and Orochimaru watched, amused at the ridiculousness of it, knowing that such things were so much more subtle and so much more traumatizing. His son hugged a pillow as did his mother, who jumped at a few jump start scenes, making the sannin laugh who pulled her over, scooting to the middle of the couch to do so, comforting her in between the carnage and horror scenes as she slowly calmed down. However, when she did, something else would happen and she'd jump or cringe and grip his arm, making him smile.

They had been through worse situations and she had never batted an eye or faltered in her stubbornness, but the things popping up seemed to be getting to her. Eventually, he kept his arm wrapped about her shoulders as they watched the movie, and when it was over their son jumped up with another one in hand, "This one next, Mom!"

"No, baby, it's a school night." She said firmly and he looked at her, crestfallen. "I said one movie. You have class tomorrow." Orochimaru stayed quiet and still, watching it all happen and kept his input to himself but glanced at the clock. 8 pm. Mitsuki could have another and fall asleep quickly but he wanted to see his son stand firm.

"But I didn't want to go to sleep." Mitsuki protested and tried again, "I already picked it out, and it's just one more movie. Please Mom?" Midori glanced at his father for some form of help but Orochimaru quickly averted meeting eyes with her. She looked away and Orochimaru looked back to see her thinking about it,

After a few long minutes she admitted defeat. "Fine, One. But tomorrow you better wake up on time and not be late for school, Mikki." Mitsuki beamed happily and switched the movies while his father pulled a blanket off the back of the couch and laid it across their laps. "Thank you, Oro."

"Mm-hmm." He said simply before adding, "Should I make some popcorn for us?" Orochimaru and as Midori opened her mouth to decline, Mitsuki jumped up and proclaimed that he'd go and make it before running off to the kitchen. Orochimaru pulled his arm away and laid back against the plush couch as Midori looked at him questioningly, making him smirk, "OH, you scold me about not wanting to be with me but NOW, now you want to cuddle, hm?" He teased and she blushed, looking away as the movie's previews came onto the screen and the male chuckled, wrapping his arm about her shoulders again and pulling her over to lean against him once more, "Come here, coy woman of mine." She blushed darker but didn't object as she laid against him, "Are you covered up enough?"

"...I'm fine." Midori murmured and the Sannin smirked, "I remembered something...about before." Orochimaru's eyebrows rose in surprise,

"You did? What?" He questioned and she looked up at him,

"Um, I think...I'm staying at an Inn. Out in Konoha." She told him and Orochimaru smiled, glad she had been trying to think about it as he suggested. Another progressive start. "And fog."

"Fog?" He questioned and Midori nodded,

"From, uh- from the night I left. You asked me to try to remember." Midori explained and he listened, "I remembered...leaving the house with a bag, you know. And I walked out of the limits of the base and then this...fog started to roll in." Midori explained, "I...didn't know where it was coming from but I kept walking. We had been together for so long, I never bothered to think that after the fight, you wouldn't be around to help me because you always were." Orochimaru felt a pang of guilt as he listened before she squinted her eyes, "I kept walking and then… I remember seeing the street ground up close, like I fell or something; then that's it." He gently pressed her head into his shoulder and kissed her head, "I can't seem to remember anything else."

"It will come in time, Midori." Orochimaru assured her, "You've done a great job so far, but don't expend yourself on it. I'll run some tests tomorrow and we'll work from there." Mitsuki walked in with the large bowl of microwaved popcorn as Orochimaru added on, "I may not have been there too much before, but I promise you I'm here now." He glanced over and saw his son, feeling a bit awkward for saying something so intimate to the mother of his child with said child in the room. But Mitsuki smiled happily and excitedly, as if his father's words had broke whatever 'evil-curse' was on his mother and had brought her back to them. For good.

"I know, Oro." She replied with a soft smile as the movie started and Mitsuki sat down on the floor between them, back against the couch. However, by the end of this movie, Orochimaru was laying on the couch and had drifted off a bit himself. He awoke, however, to a sweet scenic view of his small family.

Mitsuki had fallen fast asleep on the floor, head under where his Father lay on the couch. His Mother laid against Orochimaru with her head on his shoulder and his arm loosely wrapped about her waist, the blanket covering them both from the slight chill of the house. Her breathing soft and shallow as she slept deeply against him and he leaned over and kissed her head.

'I never bothered to think that after the fight, you wouldn't be around to help me.'

Orochimaru sighed and ran his free hand through his long black bangs. That was the truth; No matter if they were on bad terms or not, if she was ever in trouble, Orochimaru never faltered to keep her safe. The only exception was when she left. It was painful to know that something had happened to her the one time she probably needed him the most- and his ego had been too hurt to go and help her. He covered his face with a hand and tried to recall anything out of the ordinary that night aside from them, when his son's voice interrupted his thoughts,

"Is she going to stay, Father?" Orochimaru lowered his hand below his eyes and looked up at his son, who stood over him now, before he looked at Midori, pulling the blanket up with his free hand to cover her shoulders.

"We'll see, Mitsuki, but your Mother and I have a lot of problems we need to work out." Orochimaru explained and looked at his child who looked back inquisitively.

"But… you'll fix it, right?" Mitsuki asked, "What needs to be worked out? Mom's home now, right?"

"It's a start." His Father said slowly as he tried to piece together a way to explain it all to his probing son. So painfully like his father in his search for knowledge. "Your mom and I got in a really big fight the night she left; because I hurt her in a way that you're not supposed to hurt a woman. But I did. And I need to make it up to your mom, but she's a bit scared right now."

"Because of the horror movie?" Mitsuki asked and Orochimaru frowned,

"In a sense. She doesn't want to get hurt again by me." His father explained and slowly parted from the mother of his child, slipping out from under her to stand at his own height,

"Are you going to hurt her again?" Mitsuki asked seriously, glaring at him and Orochimaru frowned,

"No, Mitsuki. I plan not to." Orochimaru picked up Midori in his arms and she stirred a bit but continued sleeping, "But situations like these are very, very delicate. I need to be careful." He carried her up the stairs and his son followed, listening and thinking, "It will take some time, Mitsuki, but it will be better for all of us once it's all figured out." Mitsuki smiled,

"I'm really happy that she's back, Dad." Mitsuki said behind him and Orochimaru chuckled as he walked up the last couple stairs,

"Me too, Mitsuki." Orochimaru said and his son's mother slowly woke up in his arms, "Well, well, look who's joining us, Mitsuki." Midori looked at Orochimaru then their son,

"What are you doing up, Mikki?" She asked him sleepily and he looked at her,

"Making sure you're ok, Mom." Mitsuki replied confidently and his father chuckled a bit, setting the woman on her feet and gently taking the blanket from her, "Can you tuck me in?"

"Of course, honey." She smiled, walking with him to his room as Orochimaru calmly folded up the blanket. He stood in the hallway and watched as she quietly closed the door, walking back over to him and he stood there patiently for her. "Did I...fall asleep on you?"

"Indeed you did." He confirmed and she looked away, but he slipped his fingers under her chin and turned her to look back at him, "Don't feel bad for how you treated me and how you're acting now. The past is in the past, Midori, water under the bridge." she stared up at him and smiled as he added, "Now then, since you're up, I know you're tired but I'd like to get your things from that Inn soon."

"Alright, but can I shower first?" She asked as he opened the doors to their room, smirking,

"No. I'm going to examine you first, then you may shower." Orochimaru said and she glared hotly at him, "Oh dear, not like that. All in a scientific and professional way first; however, I am not opposed to playing 'doctor and nurse'." He said with a smirk as she sat down on the king-sized bed, laid with pressed dark plum sheets. She looked about the room. The bed's back was against the left wall, and against the right wall was their shared walk-in closet. The wall across from the one with the doors in it held two finely-crafted french doors that opened to a grand and luxurious master suite bathroom, complete with a deep soaking tub and a huge walk-in-shower with several shower heads.

"I remember that this house was a complete wreck when you showed it to me." She said with a laugh and Orochimaru smirked, remembering that time as well.

Midori was pregnant with their son and Orochimaru had listened to her demands that they needed a stable and permanent home; that she wouldn't be constantly moving their son around just because Orochimaru liked changes in scenery. "I need to constantly check on my bases-" He had tried to protest but she slammed her fist down on his desk, 3 months pregnant and already showing,

"Then get one close to one of your bases, and you move everything there!" Midori snapped angrily from the flickering hormones but Orochimaru looked up at her, "I'm pregnant, damn it, I can't keep moving from place to place with you. As romantic as it is, it's hard enough standing up from a chair, much less packing and re-packing. I don't want our kid to constantly change schools and have to keep making and remaking friends, they'll have trouble adjusting." Orochimaru helped her into a chair near his desk, calm and collected against her rage of crazy, and she accepted his help,

"Alright, Midori, I'll look for something more...normal." He complied. And he did. And he found a lone house between his base and a good distance from Konoha- however, despite it's huge properties and scandalously low price tag, it was going to take a lot of reconstruction and renovation to make it how they wanted it.

A two-story, home that once had many bathrooms and bedrooms, but poor conditions and many storms had demolished the roof and let water leak into the rooms, destroying the floors and the walls. The realtor had tried to upsell the wrap around porch- which needed severe help- especially after Midori fell through it. But it had been so big for the two of them that it felt like a mansion, however with their plans of perhaps another child or two in the near future, they needed the space.

"I was so surprised that you actually did all of this yourself." Midori said and he smirked as he set the blanket down on the bed next to her and opened the doors to the bathroom, revealing a double-vanity, and knelt down to rummage in the cabinets. "I just kept thinking, 'wow, he could have done this all for me' and it made me so happy."

"Well, it was intended for you, but mostly us- and I remember quite the fun nights we had in both the tub and the shower." Orochimaru answered as he pulled out several empty vials and long cotton swabs, Midori blushing as he walked over with them. "Your son only let me throw out anything that was expired." He set them on the bed next to her as she smiled and looked up at him, "I will be meticulous, however I will try to be quick about it." Orochimaru said before tilting her head up a bit, checking around her neck first; trailing his fingers along her nape to try and see if there were any covered up markings.

"I had to give him something to balance out your patience." She said with a soft smile and he said nothing.

It was painful. Too much so, to think of how he had wronged her so badly when she had been so loyal and so good to him. Even now as he was checking between her delicate does and her elegant fingers for elusive pinpricks, all he wanted to do was pull her close and tell her how he'd turn the world upside-down to make it up to her and would get on his knees for her forgiveness. He wanted her in his arms again and at the same time he wanted to hurt her the way she had hurt him.

He wanted all of her. She was home and half of him told him it was for good- and the other half told him it was only until he tripped up again and the next time would be longer. That latter half told him that she had been hurt because he was too prideful to chase after her and apologize and added on she had vanished for 3 years from him not being there for her. It foretold that this time, the next time he saw her would be at her own funeral. Orochimaru's hands shook a bit and he pulled them away from her, putting one to his head to try and quiet out the darker and stronger of the two voices as it flashed images of her in a coffin in his mind's eye. It was too much, even for him.

Her soft hand grazed his cheek and he opened his eyes behind his hand, "Oro? What's wrong?" She asked as he sat before her, having gotten on his knees to check her lower half while she sat on the bed and silently let him do his work. He put his forehead on her knees and took deep breaths to try and relieve the tightness of his chest.

Mitsuki meant the world to him; he was their son, he was Orochimaru's everything. But he needed Midori more. She had been the missing part of his dark and twisted soul that completed him- he knew it was so when they first met, no- when he first saw her. Even when she was in labor, he was more concerned for her well-being and safety than his newborn son. Never was he more vulnerable to anyone, never was he the most docile man to anyone, never the most forgiving to anyone than he was to her. He had love her so deeply, so much more than he even knew he could feel for anyone or thing- to that day, he loved her.

"I'm here." She told him softly and he listened, gently resting his hands on her lower legs, "That's a start, isn't it?" It was if as she knew what he wanted to say before he even had the words.

It had been this way; this short-term prediction habit she had. He expected her, in the beginning, to abuse this unspoken ability to know what he wanted and thought she would harm him and deny him at every turn. But she never did and she only seemed to use it for the better. When he was at his weakest, she came in like a tide of new strength and helped him up.

"I hate this." Orochimaru muttered and she gently stroked his hair, "I can't live through this."

"You need to focus, Oro." He told him as if overriding what he had said, "We can focus on us and all of this...we'll talk about it tomorrow, but I need you to finish what you started. If there's something wrong here with me, I need you to find it, and I need you to help me because I don't know what to do. I want to be here with Mitsuki...and you." She said and he looked up at her sheepishly, "But I can't remember anything, so there's that possibility that something bad happened to me and I...I don't want there to come a time where I'll actually hurt you two."

Orochimaru scoffed, resting his cheek on her knee as the tightness in his chest alleviated, "It seems you are under the impression that Mitsuki and I cannot defend ourselves from the likes of you? His sweet and non-confrontation mother? When was the last time you actually went out of your way to fight?" Midori's cheeks flushed red with anger as Orochimaru stood up and tilted her head back, "I can't recall you ever fighting your way out of even a wet paper bag."

"Fuck you, Old Man, I can fight." She hissed venomously and he gasped in mock shock, clutching his head,

"OH, I'm suddenly overcome by a heart attack, being so old- sorry, dying, can't help you, Midori." Orochimaru said as he played along and she started laughing, playfully hitting him in the arm and he added on, "Brittle bones are breaking."

"Quit it!" She laughed as he laughed a bit too, "You're such a drama king." Orochimaru smiled and chuckled a bit as he tilted her head to the side to check behind her ears for anything. Behind her left ear and tucked just out of view, was a small and tight circle of 5 puncture marks the size of needles. Still a bit red from around the holes, meaning they were fresh. and a strange greenish blue fluid seemed to remain around the area. Orochimaru diligently swabbed up the fluid and put it in the vial.

He couldn't think of a time before that point when a smile had faded faster from his face in Midori's presence.