Hi! You guys have waited, so I bring the next chapter! I hope you guys enjoy, I worked hard on it. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, you guys are the reason I write.
Disclaimer - Disclaimed. I couldn't write as well as Kishimoto if I tried.
Suigetsu walked into the kitchen to prepare breakfast when he ran into Tenten. When he bowed respectfully, she scoffed at him and pulled him up. "When are you going to stop bowing to me?" she asked, her arms crossed and a smirk on her lips. She leaned on the doorway, studying the butler. He wasn't dressed in his usual attire, a purple shirt rivialing his eyes and a blue pants, but instead a pair of black dress pants and a bright white shirt. "Someone looks fancy," she said, adding a slight whistle. He chuckled softly and turned toward her. "Going to visit your witchy friend?"
"Yeah, she sent a messenger mouse saying she has stuff to tell me," he said, turning around to face the stove. Her brown eyes diverted back and forth between the oven and his suit. He's going to get himself dirty, she thought, tsking him away from the oven. He looked surprised, but seeing her manuever through the cupboards, he smiled slightly, his sharp teeth peeking out. "And Miss Tenten, what the hell are you doing? You're not the type of person to handle cooking, especially for other people," he said. She turned to face him and smiled brightly, the corners of his lips turned upwards more so than already.
"No, but I am the type of person who appreciates nice clothing: female. I couldn't stand it if you turned that white shirt a different color trying to make breakfast," she said, reaching for a box on the top shelf. Seeing her struggle, Suigetsu grabbed the box and handed it to her, earning a small glare. "I had it under control," she said, a pout on her lips.
"Sure you did," he said with a roll of his bright purple eyes. A glare was sent his way, then the shorter girl went back to work. "You sure you don't want me to help?" he asked, noticing Tenten stirring the mix heavily. She turned to him again, a small frown adorning her sharp, focused features. Her eyes narrowed at him, making Suigetsu cringe on the inside. He didn't show it, but the girl scared him...slightly. She could be intimidating, but he knew that she was a big softie on the inside. She put on a hard shell to protect herself, but it easy to crack. Usually, her intimidating stare would get people to back off, but if you pressed the right buttons, she'd fall apart. He was one of the few people who knew the buttons, but never pressed.
"I never said that, but you can't help me in those clothes. Now either change and help me, wait for pancakes, or visit she-who-will-not-be-named," she huffed, turning around to mix the food. Shocked crossed his eyes before a calm smile relaxed his shocked expression away. "You're still here? I thought I told you to leave! Shoo!" she said, pushing him out the kitchen, he chuckled and walked over the large castle doors.
"I guess I should leave then, Tenten. I've a busy day ahead, and you lot should manage fine without me. Keep me updated on what happens, you know it's my secrets for hers, and we need to know what's going on outside the castle walls. I'll be back after dark, so don't wait up," he said, opening the door, letting in blinding sunlight. Tenten waved her hand around, showing that she didn't need his lecture. He put on his white cloak and smiled at her.
"Is that all?" she said, "I've got pancakes in the making." He smiled and placed a soft kiss on her forehead protector. She glared and pushed him off.
"Oh, I know you'll miss me when I'm gone."
"I don't know how I'll go on," she said, putting a hand to her forehead and closing her eyes. He smiled at her, and pulled her into a hug. She half-heartedly fought her way out of his grasp, but seeing he wasn't going to let up, she wrapped her arms around him and gave him a tight squeeze. It was supposed to be short and sweet, but Suigetsu always had a way of dragging things out. "You should be on your way, Sui," she said, pulling away from him. He sighed and let her go.
"Tell Sasuke that I'm in Sound," he said, walking out and closing the door behind him. She nodded brightly and walked back into the kitchen.
Hearing a loud thud, he smiled and strolled out to the garden and plucked a single red tulip. He sniffed it, savoring the smell, then shook it softly and a transparent ball fell from it. Nearly invisible, he thought, shaking his head. He smiled as he picked it up and dusted it off on his cloak. Just like her to try and make me search for it, he said, noting the clearness. He stepped on it and a white smoke appeared. For a second, he couldn't breathe, see, smell, or even think clearly. He could feel himself being lifted up from the ground, but he couldn't see where he was going.
The next second, he was on hard wood, staring at a snake. The thing hissed at him, and flicked it's tounge onto his nose. Suigetsu smiled and watched the thing slither around his arm. "Good morning, Daisuke," he said to the snake who was making his way around Suigetsu's arms. "Is she here?" he asked the snake who crawled on the floor, staring back at him with large, white eyes. "Show me where she is," he said, crouching down. The snake quickly moved out the room the two were in and towards someone's room. "Thank you," he said, looking at the snake who wrapped itself around his leg.
He knocked on the door, and was greeted by a red-head with equally red eyes, covered by horn-rimmed glasses. "You're finally here," she said. He rolled his eyes at her and walked in. Immediately he was greeted by the smell of dead snake skin, and cringed slightly. "Daisuke, Chiyo, Choji, and Kirara molted yesterday," she said, lifting the skin up with her index finger and tossing the skin away. "I hate staying in here with them."
"Aa. You hate it here and we can't go anywhere else, so lets get to the point. You called me, what do you want to share?" he said, sitting on her bed, his eyes no longer holding the playful look in them. She sat beside him and sighed heavily.
"Tou-san is ready to after Sasuke and Kabuto's an Akatsuki spy. Tou-san doesn't trust him completely, but he's too valuable to be let go. Something about being an asset while being a pain in the ass," she said, looking down at her chipped nails. Her crimson eyes seemed far away, clouded over with thought. "But I know he could never ever ever get rid of him. He cares about him far too much."
"That's not it, is it, Karin?" Suigetsu asked. He lifted her chin up so she could look in his soft eyes. Unshed tears fogged up bright eyes, and he smiled at her, silently telling her that it was okay. "You can tell me anything, Karin. No matter how ugly or grisly or frightening," he said softly. She nodded and took a deep breath.
"They're trying to force me to tell them what you tell me. They even bugged my room, I took them all out, but just to be safe, I moved myself," she said, looking down. A frown adorned her lips as she let out a heavy sigh. Suigetsu put a comforting hand on her shoulder, knowing she was hiding something from him. She was easy to read, and he needed to know everything. Their lives depended on it. "Tou-san's changing," she said, staring at wall. A single picture of her and Orochimaru and Kabuto, she was smiling brightly while he stared with his hand clasped onto her shoulder and Kabuto was sitting beside her. In an instant, the pretty picture had a long, jagged, uneven crack running through the middle.
"Orochimaru's a bastard, Karin," Suigetsu said. She turned her head to him, messy hair whipping around her. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and she softly glared.
"That's not true," she said, defending him. He put his hands on her shoulder, her body incredibly hot to the touch. She's getting angry, but she needs to know this, he thought, gulping at what she might do to him.
"He's always been like this, just not around you," he said softly. Karin diverted her eyes from him and to the floor. Crimson eyes shone brighter as she stared. Her glared hardened, and he felt himself being lifted from his place on her bed.
"You're lying," she murmured, not going unnoticed by Suigetsu. Her index and middle fingers trembled slightly, unsure of what they were doing. Suigetsu sighed deeply before continuing.
"He's using you. I've been trying to tell you that since forever." She growled at he felt himself reach the ceiling. Her fingers aimed towards him, coating him in a sticky, wet, and unnaturally heavy substance. He stayed on the ceiling for a moment, but when his eyes locked with hers, he knew he was going to fall.
"You're a liar!" she screamed, dropping him on the floor. He groaned as he lifted his head to face her. "Tou-san loves me and Kabuto!"
"You're too naïve, Karin! He doesn't love anyone!" he said, desperately trying to gether to listen to him. She closed her eyes and screamed lowly. Her fingers clenched into fist and he was lifted up again, hitting her ceiling much harder than the first time.
"You're always doing this to me!" He groaned at the pain in his back, but kept his face still.
"You're not believing me!" he countered, waiting to be dropped back on the floor. Instead, he was coating in a heavy, burning tar that stuck to him like a second skin. He hissed in pain, causing her to smirk. He's getting to her, he thought. Karin threw her head back in a small chuckle and for a brief moment, her red eyes burned black. Suigetsu gasped, and she glared at him.
"That's because Tou-san loves me!" she said, dropping him on the floor, still covered in the tar. She put a foot over his chest, covered in tar, and pressed down on him, seemingly uneffected by the burning substance. She looked into his eyes and smirked, when she saw him move his mouth.
"Stop this, Karin!" he said, gazing into the black eyes he resented. "It's not you." he pleaded, his chest heaving up and down with every painful breath. "Please Karin!" Seeing him wither in pain, she stepped back, her eyes changing back to crimson. "Make it stop! It's not right!" Her eyes flashed around the room, taking in the scene. She saw black stuff on the ceiling, and her best friend coated in tar, clearly in pain.
"Oh my god! Suigetsu! Sui, I'm so sorry!" she said, rushing towards him and pulling off the tar, which burned her terribly, but he was more important than her fingers. She gasped as she pulled the last of the stuff away, not caring about how she felt. She looked at him, her eyes filled with concern for him.
"You're...you...you're special," he said, grabbing a stay hair and tugging it behon her ear. "Orochimaru doesn't deserve someone as special as you loving him. He doesn't." Suigetsu said, taking a deep breath. Karin smiled and pulled him closer to her, tears spilling from her eyes. A ghost of a smile brushed on Suigetsu's face as he wrapped his arms around her.
"You're okay," she said softly, more to reassure herself than him.Tou-san loves me, she thought. "...Or he used to," she said softly enough so he didn't hear. She sighed and set Suigetsu up on the bed. He opted to lay down, resting his head on her lap. She discretely smiled and played with his white hair. He's fine, she thought, a mave of relief washed over her.
"The girl from the story is real," he said, not bothering to get up. Her eyes widened for a fraction of a second and she smiled softly.
"Well duh, she's got to be real," she said. "She's the one who's going to save everyone when they need saving. Don't you know anything, Sui?" she asked teasingly. He chuckled lightly at her and tapped her nose softly.
"She's here now. This is where the story gets real, Karin," Suigetsu said, a smirk on his lips. Karin looks at him suspiciously and then bursted into a giddy smile. "She's staying with Sasuke," he said, noticing her expression change. "And the two are getting along great," he said with a slight smirk on his face. Karin glared at him and lifted him up to where he was floating in front of her. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity, and Suigetsu smiled at her. "He's opening up to her, and she's letting him grow on her. She's the first person he let into his library." Karin glared half-heartedly. "It'd be pointless to pursue him now," he said, smiling at her. It was no secret that Karin had a small infatuation for the youngest Uchiha, and Suigetsu always made a point to tease her about it.
"You never know," she said, looking at him. "Things can change, it's not like it's etched in stone," she said, smiling at the white-haired man. He chuckled at her, causing him to fall on her lap again. Her smiled widened when she felt him grasp her hand and pull it slightly.
"It's written on paper," he said. "And it'd be best if you moved on. Find somebody else, then get out of here." A small frown etched itself on Karin's face. "Orochimaru is going to bleed you dry, then throw you away, just like everybody else he's used. Kimmimaro, the Sound Five, Kin and Zaku, Juugo. Quite frankly, I have no idea why Kabuto's here, that traitorous bastard. You're no different from the others, once your done, he's going to kill you," he said, strongly. Karin sighed and glaced at the cracked picture again.
"He uses people until he can't anymore, that's just the way he is. But I am different from the rest. I'm a witch, and he loves me. I just assist him when he wants, he's not using me, and he's not going to get rid of me. I'm too special for that, he told me. Me and Kabuto are still here because we're a family. Me, him, and Orochimaru. He's not going to get rid of us, no matter what you think," she spat back defiantly. Her eyes twinlked as she rested her head in her hands. "Besides, paper can be torn."
"You're going to look pathetic when Sasuke tells her he loves her," he said, his gaze fixed on her. She smirked at him and looked at her long, delicate fingers. "He does, or at least will. It's envitable."
"I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. Until then, he's the only I'm going to be thinking about," she said, sighing heavily. Suigetsu smirked at her, a devious thought racing through his head.
"The only one?" he said, a hint of something he couldn't quite place in his voice.
"Yeah," she said, a light laugh exiting her voice. Suigetsu smiled at her.
"I guess I'm going to have to change that," he said. A flash of confusion crossed her face before she was pulled in by Suigetsu. He hesitated for a moment, but quickly got over it as he crashed his lips over hers.
She was confused, but that didn't stop her from closing her eyes and kissing him back. It was soft and sweet, and filled with something magical about it. And as quickly as it came, the kiss ended. "What was that about?" she asked, a light blush dusting her cheeks.
"Nothing much, just an impulse," he said smirking at the confused red-head. Without warning, she crushed her lips on his again, making him smile. Move over, Sasuke, he thought, as his hands found their way to her waist.