Somber Vision
KibaSin
Summary: In a dark, dreary hallway of Otogakure, Kagome met the infamous Uchiha Sasuke for the first time and learned that they shared a common goal.
Disclaimer: I do not own any material related to Naruto or Inuyasha. All character depicted belong to their respective owners.
Genre: Drama / Angst / General
Rating: M
Note: I dedicate this piece to kakashixangela, whose a sweetheart and wanted to read Sasuke x Kagome lately.
I meant to write something a lot shorter, and maybe someday I'll extend on it, but for right now this is it. Haha. If anyone is curious, I was listening to a rock cover of Lucid Dreams by Juice WRLD when I wrote this. - Kiba
"This is so stupid," the dark haired sixteen year old huffed, rubbing at her eyes again as she knocked on the door a second time. She turned her head to stare down the dark hallway when there was no immediate answer, wondering why in the world that blasted snake wanted her to be the one to retrieve his precious Uchiha. It was painstakingly obvious from the information dump she had been provided upon her return that Kabuto was better suited for the task, whereas she already half anticipated getting stabbed with the Kusanagi no Tsurugi the moment he opened the door. The medical ninjutsu expert had been kind enough to inform her that the Uchiha was not the friendliest of men, after all, so it would not entirely surprise her if he was the type to strike first and ask questions later. "Successfully infiltrate another village for three years, and this is the reward I get? To play babysitter?"
Was he even in there?
Maybe she should have checked the onsen like Kabuto told her to, even if she was fairly certain that the sadistic jerk was only trying to thoroughly embarrass her by suggesting it in the first place. Or purposely get her stabbed for "sneaking a peek," since she knew that the silver haired pervert was still rather put out that she had refused the examination he had wanted to give her upon her return. Regardless of whether or not she had not had the pleasure of being properly examined in so many years, there was simply no way she was going to let Kabuto put his hands anywhere near her unless she was directly ordered to by Orochimaru. She'd rather shove her own chokutō through his throat and deal with the repercussions from the blasted snake afterward then be subjected to that kind of torture.
Hell, this damn assignment had probably been Kabuto's suggestion in the first place!
Fucking dick wants me to get a sword through my stomach so he can have an excuse to feel me up, she hissed to herself. I just know it.
Resisting the urge to lean her forehead against the door frame in frustration, she considered rechecking the training area that the Uchiha was said to frequent for a second time if he did not answer the door soon. There was a slight chance she had missed him the first time, considering she only had the description that their glorious leader had been more than happy to supply once she reminded him that she had never personally met the famed Uchiha survivor under his belt. Orochimaru had been entirely too paranoid with moving around as frequently as possible before her departure from Otogakure for any sort of proper introduction, after all, which was all the more reason why she was the absolute worst possible candidate for what should be an otherwise easy task.
"Damn it." Her fingers rubbing furiously at the itch in her eye that refused to leave her alone, she growled. Her mounting aggravation caused her to test the heavy wards that the Uchiha had erected around his room once more, knowing that she could easily have her answer to whether or not the prick was simply ignoring her if she just tore them down. Her chakra would immediately pick up his own signature this close regardless of never having seen him, but she knew that Orochimaru's insistence that she "play nice" with the Uchiha had been more than simply a suggestion. Somehow, she imagined that violating his personal space and getting herself purposely gutted because of it was not nice by any means.
Then again, that blasted snake had always had twisted standards, so maybe it was and she was just wasting her time by trying to be polite.
Flicking a wayward raven colored lock back over her shoulder, she muttered, "Stupid, arrogant... What is it with men… ugh!" in an attempt to lessen her frustration before being confronted with the mysterious Uchiha. Her hand instinctively settled around the hilt of the Shichiseiken hanging from her waist then, envisioning the first swing of the Kusanagi no Tsurugi aimed directly for her head if she started yelling at the Uchiha the moment she saw him. She sighed quietly at the image, knowing that it would certainly be a top contender for the most memorable first impression she had ever had while in Otogakure if she did not calm down a little first.
Maybe even worse than… when I tried to knock out most of Kimimaro's teeth.
The thought brought a wry smile to her lips, as she turned to stare down at the floor and clenched her fist. She blinked away the irritating tingle that surfaced in the corner of her eye as a result, once again wishing that her infiltration mission had lasted a lifetime so that she could avoid the memories that haunted the dark halls of Otogakure at every turn. "...I hate this place," she admitted to the silence, her voice a soft, muted whisper that reflected her somber expression.
Kabuto.
Orochimaru.
Otogakure.
She honestly wished it would all burn up and die.
Raising her hand after a long, quiet moment, she finally rapped her knuckles on the door for a third time. Her gaze still lowered, rubbing at the persistent itch in her eye that made her frown all over again, she was almost surprised when the door was yanked open to reveal the Uchiha that that blasted snake had sent her to retrieve. She felt her lip twitch at the corner, as she let her hand fall and lifted her head so that she was staring into his dark, narrowed eyes that demanded to know why she was disturbing him. So, he really was just ignoring me then... the bastard.
"Who are you?" the Uchiha scowled, his hand twitching near the hilt of his chokutō.
While not entirely impressed by the demand, she was pleased to note that the Uchiha was not the type to swing first and ask questions later in the given circumstances. Her hand relaxed around her own weapon a little, as she tilted her other one toward her chest and introduced herself by simply saying, "I'm Kagome, and you're Uchiha Sasuke."
Sasuke tsked, before leaning on the door frame and crossing his arms across his chest. Though he had never encountered the dark haired, blue eyed young woman before, he could already take a few guesses as to why she had been lurking outside his door now that he had. "Well?" he demanded. "What do you want? If you're just another one of those stupid whor—"
"You're a real prince charming, aren't you?" Kagome cut him off, rolling her eyes. As if she would ever consider… the nerve of some men. "I'm here because Orochimaru-sama demands your presence to… have a chat or whatever, I don't really care. So, you'll come with me, we'll get this over with, and then I'll hopefully never see you again unless our esteemed lord insists on me tracking you down every time you refuse a summon."
His eyes flickering curiously with the sarcastic, clipped response, the Uchiha watched as she quickly spun on her heel and started to march away in annoyance. She paused after a few seconds, quickly realizing he had not made any move to follow her, and he felt his lip settle into a smirk when she twisted her head to glare heatedly at him.
"Well?" the dark haired young woman spat back at him.
His dark eyebrow ticked upward, Sasuke only shrugged.
"We don't have all day, Uchiha-san." Feeling her previous aggravation quickly fanning itself back to life, Kagome frowned, jerking her thumb down the hallway. The urge to rub at the itch in her eye caused her to growl a little when the Uchiha did not immediately get the hint, as she gave into the need to try and alleviate the sensation. The unwavering irritation had seemingly burned itself into her retina, however, and she huffed when it occurred to her that she might need to willingly let Kabuto take a look at it before it became a hindrance. The thought made her grit her teeth, knowing that the medical ninjutsu expert would be absolutely delighted if she so much as stepped foot in his demented lab and wanting to avoid it for as long as humanly possible.
It was almost a relief when the dark haired Uchiha stepped up beside her, though Kagome was quick to pivot on her heel and ignore him as she led the way down the dark hallway. She released a quiet noise of discomfort along the way, pressing her fingers to one eye when the burning sensation turned into a deep seated ache that made her heart kick start itself into a state of panic. What's wrong with me? Why is this happening…? she mentally hissed, and nearly jumped out of her skin when the Uchiha's hand settled on her shoulder.
"There's something wrong with your eyes."
It did not sound exactly like a question, but Kagome was almost certain that it was as close to one as she was going to get from the Uchiha. She pulled her shoulder away from him roughly, years of living beside the Sound Five beneath the snake's tutelage having bred an innate sense of self-preservation, as she snapped, "I'm fine."
Sasuke eyed her for only a moment, before looking away. His voice was light, unconcerned, as he suggested, "You could have it looked at, but whatever."
"By who? Kabuto?" she laughed. "That sick pervert would only want to…"
Wait.
The Uchiha looked back at her when she stopped in the middle of the hall, staring at him.
Her eyes… they were burning…
Kagome dropped the hand pressed against her eye, laughter bubbling up her throat, as she lowered her head and shook it a little at her own stupidity. "You're… you're an Uchiha." She smiled at the thought, allowing her burning eyes to close with the realization of why exactly Orochimaru had wanted it to be her who retrieved his precious apprentice for him. "Of course!"
His eyes narrowed slightly, as he raised his eyebrow at the statement. "And?"
She only gestured toward him with one hand, continuing to shake her head, as she said, "That means you have the… gosh, I'm so stupid. I mean, of course you do, that's why that sick bastard wants your body, right?"
Sasuke inhaled sharply, his eyes swirling, as she raised her head and looked at him. His gaze was immediately a dark, bloody red that had spinning shades of black around the iris, and he felt her head bounce off the wall when his fingers instinctively tightened around her throat and cut off her oxygen supply. He snarled then, his crimson gaze trembling in his fury and confusion, because there, in her eyes, she had it too.
The Sharingan.
The cold press of steel against his neck alerted him to the fact that she had pulled the Kusanagi no Tsurugi from its sheath at his waist and leveled it against him, while her lip twisted into a taunting, tight smile at the assault. Those familiar ruby colored eyes she possessed only served to mock him, though, as Sasuke shoved her head against the wall a second time and quickly pulled her own chokutō free in a similar fashion. "Try it," he dared her, pressing the blade just underneath his hand and drawing a line of blood across her throat. "Where did you get those eyes? Tell me."
Kagome felt his grip loosen slightly when she answered him with little more than a gasp.
"Tell me!" Sasuke demanded.
"I-I've… always…" she coughed.
"Liar," Sasuke spat. Did she think she was funny? The chuckle that escaped him after a moment was dark, menacing, and the cold, furious glint in his crimson eyes warned her to try again. "You said it yourself, didn't you? Orochimaru wants my body, but why would he need it if he already had the Sharingan at his disposal before he took whoever's body he's in now?"
Kagome almost choked on her laughter, as she told him, "I don't have… the… the Sharin… gan."
The dark haired Uchiha hissed at the blatant lie, the disrespect, when it was his own clan's kekkei genkai that was clearly staring him in the face. He could feel her grip on the Kusanagi no Tsurugi going slack with each passing second, and his lip curled up into a cruel, deadly smirk as he slowly pressed the blade of her own chokutō closer without any resistance. "How did you get it?" he demanded. "The Uchiha are dead, except for me and my brother."
"Stu… pid… bast… ard… I'm… I'm a…"
"Answer me!"
"Now—"
Sasuke's head twisted in the opposite direction, sneering at the Sannin chuckling at the sight of them with a wicked gleam in his eye.
"—that isn't very nice." The twin Sharingan stares blazing in the darkened hallway did not phase Orochimaru in the slightest, as he folded his arms behind his back and smiled at the both of them. He reached out to put a hand on the Uchiha's shoulder after a moment, not at all surprised that the volatile young man refused to release his prey any time soon. "Poor Kagome-chan isn't going to be able to answer any of your questions if you choke her to death, Sasuke-kun."
Easily batting aside the blade leveled at his throat, Sasuke shoved the dark haired young woman to the side and turned on the Sannin in an instant. The potential of a living, female Uchiha had barely stayed his hand, despite the desire to immediately kill her for tempting to lure him into whatever trap she had set with promises of another Sharingan wielder. "Who is she?"
"She's one of my prized students, of course," Orochimaru told him. "Just like you are, Sasuke-kun."
"She has the Sharingan," Sasuke hissed. "Where did you find her? Where was she when…?"
The snake Sannin only shook his head at him, as he stared down at the young woman coughing at their feet. He smiled a bit wider when she turned to glare at him, obviously not amused by the sudden attempt on her life that he had just thwarted. "Ah," he breathed. "A pale imitation of the Sharingan, perhaps, but nothing more."
"What does that mean?"
"I told you," Kagome rubbed at her throat, catching his attention. Her fingers tightened around the Uchiha's chokutō beneath his narrowed, displeased stare, before she frowned and returned her own gaze to the snake bastard standing beside him. The crimson in her eyes gleamed wickedly in the dark, as she glared heatedly at the twisted Sannin and wished that she could wipe that disgusting smile off his face. "I don't have the Sharingan."
The confusion leaking through his mask, Sasuke frowned down at her. His head swiveled back toward Orochimaru when she turned to glare at him, and he felt himself step in front of her instinctively when he saw the way the Sannin licked his lips at the sight of her Sharingan eyes. His own ruby colored orbs narrowing at the way Orochimaru began to chuckle at him with the action, Sasuke sneered at the glee that reflected back at him from the snake Sannin. "What do you mean by a 'pale imitation'?"
"Exactly that," Orochimaru shrugged lightly. "Kagome-chan doesn't possess the pure Sharingan the way that you do, Sasuke-kun, though it is quite convincing up close, isn't it?"
His brow furrowed, as he once again glanced back at the young woman.
"Kagome-chan is one of my favorite experiments," the snake Sannin elaborated. He stepped around the Uchiha with ease, ignoring the way Sasuke stiffened, and delighted in the way Kagome tried to turn her head as he grabbed her chin to take a proper look at her eyes. "She's been successfully injected with an extinct gene from the Land of Demons. That of the Higurashi clan. She's taken on their kekkei genkai as a result, which is what you're currently witnessing."
"The Higurashi clan?" Sasuke felt his frown dip a little more at the thought. So… she was not an Uchiha then.
"Unfortunately, Kagome-chan didn't quite inherit the Higurashi's kekkei genkai in full," Orochimaru sighed, "so she is not able to utilize it the way that I originally intended."
Kagome yanked her chin out of his grasp at the statement, releasing a faint tsk.
He chuckled at her fiery response, saying, "Though, she has her other uses."
"You said she didn't quite 'inherit it in full.' What does that mean?"
"My," Orochimaru clicked his tongue. "You are quite interested in my Kagome-chan, aren't you, Sasuke-kun?" He offered a hand to the young woman on the floor, chuckling when she blatantly ignored it to get to her feet, before tipping his head back in the Uchiha's direction to find him glaring at him once more. "The Higurashi's kekkei genkai allowed them to… borrow other forms of doujutsu for extended periods of time. Months, perhaps. Years, in some cases, so long as they chose not to borrow from another source."
Twin Sharingan clashed, as the curious light returned to Sasuke's gaze.
"However," Orochimaru closed his eyes, humming, "Kagome-chan cannot borrow from anyone unless they are within close proximity to herself. She cannot simply take your Sharingan and walk away with it like the rest of the Higurashi clan might have. She needs you nearby in order to use it, and even then it's not quite as powerful." His hand settled on her dark locks for a moment, amused when she danced away with a light growl. "Though, it is a shame that I had to send her away for the last few years. I imagine she could have benefited greatly by remaining at your side, Sasuke-kun."
Kagome grumbled at the insinuation, her hand tightening around the Kusanagi no Tsurugi and the Sharingan beginning to spin menacingly in her eye as she waited.
"In more ways than one, I'm sure," the snake Sannin sighed. His yellow eyes glinted when they settled onto the young woman baring her teeth at him from the other side of the Uchiha now between them. He licked his lips, leaning forward, as he whispered, "Surely you'll be more comfortable once you're already… acquainted with my next vessel, Kagome-chan. While I know that this body does not please you, I'm sure that Sasuke-kun would prove to be more than a satisfactory substitute until then. Wouldn't you agree?"
Sasuke felt his eyes widen slightly, the information ringing in his ear.
The dark haired young woman released a vicious cry of retribution then, the blade of the Uchiha's chokutō barely missing the snake bastard by half an inch when he shifted to the side with a laugh. The Sharingan tracking his movement, she swung in the opposite direction, before flipping the hilt in her hand and thrusting the blade behind her in a quick, precise movement when she sensed him there. "As if I'll ever…!" she snarled, retreating from the cloud of smoke that had no doubt resulted from a simple substitution. "I'll fucking kill you!"
The Sannin's laughter filled the space around them, before a swarm of snakes burst from the shadows outside her line of sight and quickly put an end to her tirade. His yellow eyes gleaming in the darkness as he stepped forward, he only smiled down at the sight of her struggling to remove herself from the restricting coils that had knocked away her weapon and overwhelmed her. "I see you've forgotten your own limitations in your time away from the village, Kagome-chan. You can't hope to realistically use the Sharingan against me when you've only just had it come into your possession."
"You vile snake!" Kagome spat, her face twisting when one of the summons hissed lightly in her ear.
"Come now, Kagome-chan," Orochimaru clicked his tongue in disapproval. "It's been three long years without you. Surely you're not still upset about what happened to Kimimaro-kun?"
"Don't talk about Kimimaro like you cared! He adored you! He wanted to help you fulfill your stupid dream by being your perfect vessel!" she yelled, feeling her voice crack somewhere in the middle. Her crimson colored eyes trembling beneath his stare, she could feel the line of moisture that threatened to fall, and she quickly bit her lip to control the whirlwind of emotion. "And you… you knew he was sick, but you still let him go…" she twisted her head to stare up at the Uchiha nearby, "...and all because you wanted to have him."
Sasuke looked away, suddenly feeling uncomfortable, and watched quietly as the Sannin knelt close to her head to run his fingers through her dark locks. His lip twisted at the sight of the snake bastard seemingly attempting to console the young woman, as if there was actually a chance that Orochimaru wanted to soothe one of his "prized students."
"Kimimaro-kun was already dying," Orochimaru reminded her. "He made his own choice. He died the way he wanted to by making sure that Sasuke-kun was able to join us." He smiled at the way she shook her head, before asking, "Would you have rather watched Kimimaro-kun die a slow and painful death, Kagome-chan?"
"...could have helped him," she whispered. "Kabuto… you..."
"Not even you could have helped him." Orochimaru hissed, grasping her chin and roughly pulling her watery gaze up when she tried to resist. His smile widened a bit at the sight of the gloriously beautiful Sharingan eyes that shimmered back at him, before she shut them as tight as possible to break the connection. "Would it have made you happier if Kimimaro-kun's sacrifice had been in vain? If Sasuke-kun had never arrived?" He felt the little shake of her head that she gave in response, and his eyes gleamed with delight. "Oh… was it that you just wanted him to come back so he could die in your arms instead, Kagome-chan?"
"I hate you," Kagome told him, as a single, solitary tear crested over the swell of her cheek.
"Ah!" The snake Sannin swiped at the tiny droplet with his thumb, before allowing her face to fall from his grasp and getting back to his feet to stand above her. He watched her eyes dart toward the fallen Kusanagi no Tsurugi when his summons returned to him, vanishing into his sleeves, and he laughed at the amount of fire she continued to display in the face of adversity. "Now that you're finally home, Kagome-chan, I'm sure that we'll come to an amicable agreement between us in due time. We were getting along so well this morning, after all! But, until then—"
Twin Sharingan scorched through him.
"—Sasuke-kun will be your primary focus," Orochimaru told her. His smile was no longer pleasant in any way, as he regarded the two of them with a delighted gleam in his eye and licked his lip again. "I know that Kimimaro-kun can never be replaced in your heart, Kagome-chan, but I'm certain that in time you'll come to love Sasuke-kun just as much as I do. He'll be your new best friend."
Sasuke narrowed his eyes, gritting his teeth, as he spat, "Tch."
She hissed, as she sat up on her heels and glared at the Sannin. Debating on going for the discarded blade nearby once again, Kagome clenched her fist, because she knew from how quickly he had subdued her that she needed more time to prepare. The difference in skill and experience between them was still glaringly obvious, and she had little hope of taking the blasted snake's head that day even if she tried again. It was better to wait, despite how much she wanted to throw everything at him until she either succeeded or dropped dead from trying.
Someday, she promised herself.
Though, that certainly did not mean she had to like whatever orders he decided to dish out in the meantime.
"And, who knows," Orochimaru shrugged, "maybe prolonged exposure to the Sharingan is exactly what you need to strengthen the Higurashi's kekkei genkai, Kagome-chan. Or maybe it'll mutate further, and you'll simply possess the Sharingan for the rest of your life regardless of being around some other doujutsu." He tipped his head at the thought, saying, "Now that would be something to look forward to, wouldn't it… Sasuke-kun?"
The Sharingan slowly fading from his eye, Sasuke looked away from him and refused to admit that it might. Especially if there was the slightest possibility that that mutation might carry over to the rest of her bloodline, as it was strengthened by this mysterious Higurashi clan gene that Orochimaru had outfitted her with. He shrugged his shoulders instead, though, feigning indifference with ease as he said, "Whatever."
"Splendid." The snake Sannin turned on his heel slightly, before tilting his head back toward the dark haired young woman that had begun to rise with the movement. "Kagome-chan, do remember to play nice with Sasuke-kun during your new assignment. While I appreciate your spark, I might not be around the next time to save you, and… I would simply hate to lose something as precious as you."
Kagome lunged for the Kusanagi no Tsurugi, but only the sound of the blasted snake's laughter remained by the time she turned to try and plunge it into his blackened heart. She swung the chokutō in a frustrated arch then, her lip twitching into a visible snarl, and only glanced up when the hilt of the Shichiseiken missing from her side was thrust into her line of sight.
"Here." Sasuke held the blade out in a silent offering, as he considered the crimson stare that flickered between the two. She even looked like an Uchiha, he realized, and those eyes only seemed to taunt him with the fact that she was not. At least not in the way he thought she might be when he had first caught sight of them. He scowled at the thought, waiting for her to make the offered exchange, as he asked, "Can't you turn it off? The Sharingan?"
Her hand settling above his own on the hilt, Kagome glanced up at him in surprise at the question. She frowned at the scowl plastered across his face, as she admitted, "I could, but…"
Understanding her reluctance to finish the sentence and give away her weakness, Sasuke asked, "It hurts?"
Knowing that it was futile to try and deny the Uchiha's claim from what he had witnessed earlier, along with the information Orochimaru had been more than happy to provide him, Kagome only sighed. As she took the hilt of the Shichiseiken in full, offering him back the Kusanagi no Tsurugi, she finally closed her eyes and nodded. "I think it's a… side effect from not truly being Higurashi, but nobody really knows for sure. It's usually a pretty good warning system about who I should try and watch out for, though, so Kabuto thinks it's just another perk I should be proud of."
"Hn." Sasuke sheathed the blade in one fluid motion, wondering for a brief moment if the young woman would simply fall over from chakra exhaustion eventually with the doujutsu constantly active. He watched as she turned her head after a moment, clearly intent on ending the conversation and retreating now that he had had his "chat" with Orochimaru that she had originally insisted upon. He would not say he was surprised, though he found himself slightly reluctant to let her slink away before—
"Well," Kagome clicked her tongue, finally feeling her embarrassment over completely losing her composure in front of another shinobi begin to surface. The urge to retreat from the growing silence as quickly as possible made her take a couple steps, fully expecting the Uchiha to go back to whatever it was he had been doing in the comfort of his own room once she was gone. "This has been simply awful, hasn't it? Let's not do it again any time soon, okay?"
"Hey."
Twisting her head around at the abrupt, singular word, Kagome paused at the serious, dark expression that the Uchiha settled upon her. His eyes swirled into a deep, bloody red, lighting up the darkness and highlighting the rest of his face for half a second, before they settled back into ominous black pits set within his equally as forbidding features.
"When the time comes," Sasuke told her, "I'm going to be the one to kill him. Orochimaru."
Her lips parted slightly in question, as she found herself staring at him in an entirely new light with the simple statement. He wanted to… kill Orochimaru?
"So don't get in my way, you got it?"
Kagome blinked at the declaration, allowing it to sink in, before she felt her eyebrow start to twitch. The Sharingan in her eyes began to spin hypnotically with the underlying challenge, and she clenched her teeth as she glared at the dark haired Uchiha. Her face flushing slightly with indignation, she sputtered, "Why... you arrogant…!"
Sasuke's face smoothed out into a more inviting smirk at her response. He tipped his head to one side, shrugging his shoulders lightly, and rested his arm against the hilt of the Kusanagi no Tsurugi while pivoting to walk in the other direction. He would be seeing more of the dark haired young woman around regardless of the snake bastard's ridiculous order for them to be the best of friends, after all, since he was curious about the extent in which she could use the Sharingan once she became accustomed to it. Higurashi or Uchiha, it did not matter either way he supposed, because someday her ability to use the kekkei genkai in the first place would make her a valuable asset against Itachi. A mysteriously gorgeous unknown that not even his elder brother would anticipate, as he finally brought the other Uchiha to his knees and gained his revenge for their fallen clan.
If she lived long enough… well, then she might even "have her other uses," too, once Itachi was dead and gone.
Her Sharingan shining in the dark, watching him walk away, Kagome scowled at the egotistical Uchiha's back. She wanted to scoff at the sheer audacity, but… could he do it, she wondered. Could he really kill Orochimaru? She had heard rumors of the Uchiha's strength even while she was away from Otogakure, but to have the confidence that he could kill one of the legendary Sannin before the snake tried to steal his body… was that merely arrogance on his part? Or could he really…?
She bit her lip at the flicker of hope that flared inside her, before she shook her head at the ridiculous feeling.
There was never any reason to hope within these cramped walls, after all.
...at least not yet.
Fin
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