Chapter 57: Stubborn Teacher, Stubborn Student
A/N: I do not own the Naruto Franchise!
I do however own Mari Kaede and any other OCs mentioned.
Warnings: Contains dark themes, such as depression, murder, experimentation, emotional, mental and physical torture, possible attempted suicide and mentions of sexual activities!
At this point, I also want to point out that the relationship between these two characters is actually toxic if you are in a similar situation please seek help, it is not healthy and it won't end the same way this story will end.
I do not condone these kinds of relationships, despite writing this story.
Hey guys, now that I'm working on BHBL between chapters of my other stories, I can get them out far quicker than before. This one still took quite a while though, since I kept having to rewrite it. For some reason, the sentences just weren't flowing the way I wanted them to.
Now that it's done, I hope you enjoy!
"Hah!"
The sound of echoed cries and the dull thump of a bandaged fist hitting the solar plexus of a training dummy filled the corridors of Otogakure one afternoon. Kaede had full access to the training hall for the day, and as such, she had spent the majority of the morning practicing her Taijutsu while she waited for her lesson with Henrei to begin.
Orochimaru continued to train her, though not as often as he used to, thanks to Sasuke's increasing lessons; and as such, she had reached an expert level in her Taijutsu skills at long last. Because of this, she planned to incorporate her Taijutsu into any future jutsu she created. She knew it was a distant daydream, but the idea of her flames swirling around her fists, rather than burning her to cinders fueled her with determination.
After all, she was the first member of the Mari clan to master both Katon and Futon, maybe she could use both to create a melee-style jutsu that would work well in any scenario. With another loud roar, she kicked the dummy in the face, before she slammed the side of her arm into its 'ribcage,' causing it to rock back and forth. Upon it reaching the apex of the teetering motion, she spun around and used the momentum to land a swift kick to the side of the head with her foot. This made the wooden mannequin's round, faceless cranium pop clean off, which then bounced away before it rolled to a stop by the three-headed, snake statue that adorned the training hall of every hideout Orochimaru controlled.
The sight of the dummy without its head made the redheaded Jounin grin as she regained her footing and stepped back, inspecting the damage she had done to the innocent wooden doll. Her skin was covered in a thin mist of sweat, her chest heaving from the time spent exerting herself to improve her skills.
To anyone else, she was working hard, and reaping the benefits of her progress. After all, only a few years prior, she was known far and wide as one of the worst Taijutsu fighters in the world. However, now she was standing there, not only looking the part but basking in her ability to pull off a consecutive series of attacks that lead to a fatal outcome for the target.
'Now I just have t'make this work when I spar with Orochi-sama.' She thought, turning and walking over to the stray head she had kicked off. 'Without knocking his head off, of course.' This made the woman laugh as the irony of her situation hit her full force. Alongside her Taijutsu skills, another thing had changed in the years she had been here.
One of them being her opinion of Orochimaru himself. If someone had spoken to her around the same time she was detrimentally bad at hand-to-hand combat, they would know how much she detested his very existence, and how she wanted to end his life with her own two hands as penance for his crimes. However, looking at her now, anyone could see she was not only on good terms with the Snake Sannin, but actively tried to protect him, as any ninja under his command would.
She had grown so comfortable in her new life, that the idea of taking his didn't even cross her mind anymore. And while she knew she had changed a lot, thanks to his influence and actions, she could see a change in him as well, though not as significant. Orochimaru was as unmoving as a statue, and she knew better than to attempt to move it with her will alone.
Part of her didn't want him to change though.
While she detested some of his actions and found his attitude and mannerisms creepy, she had grown... accustomed to them over the years.
For example, he was still as malicious in his training as he was during his missions. But there were times when the change she saw in him became apparent. Like the time she had sprained her ankle, and he helped her to Kabuto's lab so the young medic could heal her. Or how he had actually listened when she refused to kill Henrei, and instead enlisted the child into his village, rather than take his life then and there.
That was the most significant change in her mind. Before that, if she had acted out of turn, or tried to ignore his orders, she would've been on the receiving end of a dangerous jutsu. But on that occasion, he had not only listened to her, but accepted her decision as if she were as big a part of Otogakure as Kabuto was.
Maybe he understood her desire to forge her own path in this new life she was leading.
On that subject, she turned her mind to her newest duty. Training the young boy she had saved from a terrible fate. Henrei's lesson was nearing, and she had yet to really plan ahead for what that entailed. She had been his sensei for two months already, but they had yet to move onto the practical side of his lessons. Instead, she spent them familiarizing him with the basics of Taijutsu, Genjutsu, and Ninjutsu, because he was barely old enough to understand the basics, let alone start mastering them.
'Since he's got the hang of Chakra and all the other crap I was taught in the academy, maybe I should get started on the actual training...' Kaede thought, running her fingers through her fringe as she stood there, openly lost in her mental musings. 'Orochimaru's patient, but he ain't a saint, he'll get bored of waiting eventually.'
Suddenly, footsteps rang out in the corridor leading to the training hall, and the redhead hummed, lifting her head. "It's rare for y'to be early, kid!" She exclaimed with a grin as she spun to face the entryway, where the footsteps came from. "I guess you're finally starting... to..."
Her voice dwindled away as she blinked and stared at the entrance to the training hall, where she expected to see her student, but was instead met with the shadow of a person retreating down the hall and around a corner, now out of sight completely. The strange shadow and its hurried movements left a sinking feeling in Kaede's gut, and her copper brows knitted together as she practically charged toward the hallway.
However, as her bare feet slapped against the stone flooring, and she turned the corner she believed the shadow had retreated past, she almost shouted in surprise as she came to an abrupt halt just millimeters from Henrei's smaller form. If she hadn't stopped, she'd have crashed straight into him. "Dammit, kid!" She shouted, glaring down at him as he staggered back and recovered from the near-collision. "What the hell're y'doing, trying t'run from my lessons like that?" She placed her hands on her hips and clicked her tongue. "Don't y'understand that my training is the only thing keeping y'from being butchered like an animal?!"
The young boy's expression turned from surprise to confusion as she spoke, and he scoffed, mirroring her actions as he glared back up at her. "I wasn't running away from anything! You're crazy." He swerved to walk around her and barged into her side with his shoulder, causing her to step back a bit.
However, she didn't acknowledge this, as her eyes stayed locked onto the empty corridor she was faced with, utterly perplexed by the words of her pupil.
If he wasn't the one running down the corridor, then who was that?
Kabuto, while she hated to admit it, was too good of a spy to be caught like that. Then there was Sasuke who would have made himself known; since he had nothing to hide. And finally, Orochimaru who would either saunter in without any shame or remain hidden in a way that his presence might never be felt.
Whoever it was, it wasn't someone she knew, and that put her on edge.
"Hey, what the hell are you staring at?"
Kaede made a soft noise and glanced back at Henrei, who was standing at the doorway, arms crossed as he arched a brow at her. For a six-year-old, he had a lot of attitude and bravado. "Y'know what..." The new sensei started, slowly backing away as she jabbed her thumb in the direction of Orochimaru's office. "I just remembered I've got t'report to Orochi-sama 'bout my training before we can start our lesson.' She turned to walk away, only to pause again and lean back so her head could be seen past the corner she'd turned. "Get some hits on that headless dummy I've left out, and I'll be back soon!"
With that, she straightened up and began practically marching down the hall towards the Snake Sannin's study, leaving an irritated child to figure out what to do while she went about her business. Though he grumbled about her incompetence, he had to admit, it was nice to get a break from her insufferable presence for just a little while.
It didn't take Kaede long to get to Orochimaru's office and as per usual, she didn't bother to knock as she practically barged into his space. Orochimaru barely reacted to her rude entrance, as he stared down at the Kinjutsu scroll he had unwound at his desk, hair falling to cover his face from view as he read the contents intently. "Is something the matter, Firecracker?" He asked, a smirk slowly curling the corners of his white lips upwards as he lifted his head and looked over at her with those piercing green-yellow eyes of his, now uncovered as his hair fell into a resting position against his collarbone.
"Did y'send someone to the training hall today?" She asked suddenly, barely giving him a chance to finish his sentence as she stood there with her hand gripping the door handle tightly. "Like a new Chuunin, or... I don't know, Sasuke or something?"
Her stressed demeanor sparked the man's natural curiosity and he put the scroll down, turning his body to give her his full attention. "No." He said, his answer firm, he didn't even need to consult the journal he kept to keep track of his subordinate's duties, after all, he had her schedule memorized by now. "Rest assured, you and your young student are the only two booked into the training hall today." He chuckled, arching a brow. "Are you starting to question your own memory now, Kaede-chan?" While his question was simply a tease, there was an underlying curiosity there. Kaede rarely questioned her own actions, she was as adamant as she was bold, so surely something more serious was on her mind?
Kaede, who only seemed to tense up further at his affirmation, hesitated for a moment as she finally let go of the door handle, flexing her hand which ached from her tight grip. Part of her wanted to tell him, to let him know she had seen someone hovering in the halls outside the training hall, only to scurry away the second she became aware of their presence.
However, for all she knew, she had merely caught someone glancing in, seeing the hall was occupied, and then leaving silently, so as not to disturb her. The last thing she wanted was for Orochimaru to have more ammunition to tease her with, should that be the case.
'I ain't going t'let this asshole call me paranoid!' She thought stubbornly. He was already paranoid enough for both of them, she wasn't about to give herself the same reputation among the other shinobi of Otogakure.
Instead of voicing her concerns, the woman planted a hand on her hip and smirked at him, hoping that would be enough to fool the Ninjutsu genius into believing her next words. "Nah, I just wanted t'make sure y'didn't double book the room! I wouldn't put it past ol' Snake-Eyes t'forget I'm using it!"
Orochimaru stared at her for a moment, noting her sudden shift, he knew there was more to her words than mere curiosity, however until she chose to speak up, he couldn't really do anything about it. Of course, if he had someone spy on her, he would probably gather all the information he needed by sundown, but he knew better than to entertain that idea.
Kaede was understandably hellbent on keeping her freedom, anything that impeded said freedom would only force her to rebel against him. No, for now, he would humor her false facade until she saw fit to approach him with whatever was bothering her.
With that thought in mind, the Sannin chuckled again, pushing himself up out of his chair before he sauntered over to his large, scroll-ridden bookcase. He silently opened one of the smaller drawers at the bottom and collected a dusty book from within. Kaede arched a brow and watched as he opened the pages and flitted through them until he reached the entry he had recently written up. It was not his journal, since those books were a different shade of grey, more towards the green side, but it still looked hand-written.
After a second, he nodded once and snapped the book shut, turning to the redhead who smirked, leaning against the open door with her arms crossed as she watched him work. "Fear not, Firecracker." The Snake Shinobi stated, sliding the book back into its drawer. "Your name is the only one on record for use of the training halls. For the remainder of the day, you will not be disturbed by anyone else, unless I am told otherwise."
"Heh, you're a regular workaholic, aren't you? I didn't know y'kept a log of everyone's schedules, maybe I need t'up my game so I can keep y'on your toes~!" She teased, placing her hand on the door handle once again as she flashed him her usual grin. "But that's something I can do later, I've got a brat to train. See y'later, Orochi-sama."
"Don't forget to report your progress once the training is complete." Orochimaru reminded her.
"Don't worry, I'll make sure t'give you a detailed playback of my lesson, so y'can write it down!" She snickered as she began to close the door, still half inside the room. "I wouldn't want to screw up your records, would I?"
With that, she turned and left the room, closing Orochimaru's office door without another word. However, instead of stepping away like she planned to, she pressed her back against the snake-carved barrier and allowed her carefree facade to fade away into a serious frown, brows knitted together as she let out a heavy sigh. Honestly, despite knowing it was likely in her head, she couldn't help but wonder if her worst fears would come true and that she was being followed. Perhaps all her years in Otogakure had tainted her ability to be comfortable in her environment. After all, she was surrounded by some of the best rogues, spies and intel-gathering shinobi in the world, it was natural for that to play a part in her caution, right...?
She really had to convince herself that she was being paranoid.
With yet another heavy exhale, the redhead used her hands to push herself off the door and slowly walked down the corridor back toward the training hall. She would have to contemplate the matter further at a later date, right now, she had to train Henrei, who was likely cursing her out for being late herself.
Honestly, his attitude would be a welcome distraction right now...
~BHBL~
"AAAGH!"
Dammit, kid!" Kaede groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose as she stood there, one arm crossed with the elbow of the other resting against it. Henrei sat on the floor near the dummy she had left out from her own training session, holding his foot tightly in his hand as he worked through waves of agonizing pain. "I told y'to kick with the back, sole, or sides of your foot, not your toes!" She dropped her arms to her sides, placing one on her hip as she looked down at her pathetic excuse of a student.
For the past two hours, they had been working on his abilities with hand-to-hand combat, and while Henrei showed promise in the upper-body part of Taijutsu, his footwork needed... well, work. She was already at her wits end, and they had yet to move onto the more complicated part of a shinobi's job, Ninjutsu.
The boy scowled up at her, rubbing his sore toes. "I don't need you to tell me what to do!" He argued back as he stood up and turned to face the dummy. "You're just here to make sure I don't die, the moment I'm strong enough, you're not going to matter anymore!"
Kaede took a deep breath as a spike of anger shot through her, she had heard him repeat that line twice already in the length of time it had taken for him to learn to do a basic kick. She was sick of hearing it, and even more sick of his constant belligerent attitude. "I don't care what y'think of me, brat!" She started, crossing her arms as her lip curled back and she bared her sharpened canine. "If y'don't start showing some sort of progress soon, Orochi-sama's going t'have y'locked up for his experiments! D'you really think you'll have a better chance of getting your revenge with that guy watching your every move?!"
This forced Henrei to snap his mouth shut before he could retort, and he scoffed. He tried to do a roundhouse kick on the dummy, only to lose his balance and stagger off to the side, almost hitting the floor. That was the last straw for Kaede's, frankly low, patience, and she snapped.
"That's it, I'm giving you a demonstration or something, if y'don't hit that dummy soon, I'm going t'get in trouble for starting a Goddamn fire!" Kaede all but pushed the young boy out of her way, ignoring his protests as he stumbled back, then straightened up to 'allow' his redheaded sensei to take his place in front of the dummy. The only way she was going to make any progress with her insufferable student was if she showed him exactly what she meant. She had always been better at conveying things through actions, rather than words anyway.
"Since you're just getting started, I'll show you a few kicks, but nothing too crazy..." She tucked her arms at her side, hands clenched into fists. "There're a few different ways t'kick an enemy. The front kick." With a huff, she lifted her knee, as if going to march, only to stretch out her leg and hit the chest of the dummy with the full force of the back of her foot, not her toes, but the space just past them. This ensured she didn't hurt herself, since she tended to fight barefoot, thanks to her fiery disadvantage.
Kaede glanced over at the boy, who watched her with curiosity in his eyes. It was obvious that he stood there with barely contained impatience and hatred filling every Chakra point in his body. This irked her, but she was at least somewhat glad he was trying to absorb the information she was giving him. Even if it was just to use against her later, once he deemed himself ready to enact his revenge.
Of course, she knew he would never be ready. She continued to improve daily, while he struggled with basic commands thanks to his anger and the fact that he was only just old enough to be enlisted into the academy.
"Next, the crescent kick. This one's got two different ways y'can use it." She got back into her fighting stance. "Outside to inside." After letting out a little grunt, she swung her foot from the outside of her body to the inside, slamming the bone of her leg against the 'ribs' of the wooden mannequin, before she turned her body a little and did the same, but inverted the direction in which she moved her foot. "Or inside to outside, like I've just shown you." She dropped back into her starting position. "Make sure y'move your body a bit further away from your opponent if y'kick from the inside though, or y'might lose your balance after hitting them, and give them an opening t'end your life."
"Tch, I'm not stupid, I know what I'm supposed t'do!" Henrei sneered, crossing his arms as he glared daggers at her.
She arched a brow. "Oh yeah? Didn't look that way t'me when y'nearly broke your toes on ol' Woody here!" Kaede smirked a little, turning away from the training doll to speak to the boy directly. "Cut the crap and listen t'me. This is a serious lesson... If y'don't turn your body so your kick hits your target as y'get to the end of your rotation, then your body won't have time t'prepare itself for the abrupt stop." She did another kick, only this time, she didn't turn herself, leading to her 'staggering' a little as her leg slammed into the wooden chest of the dummy. "When this happens, your enemy'll probably grab your leg and flip you, giving them the chance t'slit your throat while y'lay there, trying t'get get back up." She quickly regained her balance, since her 'struggling' had been a dramatic act to show how a real fight would end. "But that ain't all either, if y'don't reach the end of your blow, then your kick won't be all that strong. y'want some speed behind your attack, so the further into the rotation y'get, the more force y'have!"
Henrei huffed and glanced in the other direction. "Whatever, I don't know why I'm even listening to you, isn't it true that you're the worst Taijutsu fighter here?!"
His retorts were getting old, and she was reaching the end of her tether. Her skin began to take on a soft orange hue, barely visible thanks to the candlelight in the room and the very low level of anger she felt. "At least I ain't some cocky little brat who thinks he's all that, but can't kick a dummy's ass t'save his life." She countered, smirking when his scowl deepened and he let out the softest of growls. He didn't have a retort for that, did he? "How're y'going t'get revenge on me if y'don't even know the basics? I ain't the best Taijutsu fighter out there, sure!" She crossed her arms again. "But I'm pretty sure I can beat your ass into the ground!"
"Don't underestimate me!" Henrei roared, clenching his small fists as he snarled at the unfazed woman standing in front of him, looking down her scarred nose at him as if she were better than him. Her expression wasn't too far off though, she was better than him. "I'll kill you one day, you'll see!"
"Whatever y'say kid, just-" The redhead's sentence was cut off as she watched her student turn and storm out of the room without another word. "Hey!" She called out to him, but he ignored her, stomping down the corridor and out of sight while she took steps to follow behind, only to stop when she realized it was pointless. "Where do y'think you're going! I ain't dismissed you yet!"
The Ninjutsu expert groaned as her words fell on deaf ears, leading her to pace back and forth. She gripped her hair as the frustration his words caused began to bubble to the surface, simmering into the mildest bout of anger she had ever felt. Enough to cause her skin to glow enough to be seen properly, but not enough to pose any sort of risk of losing her temper completely. "You arrogant piece of...!" She ground out, spinning to face the door as she throttled the air before she finally sighed and dropped her hands, placing them on her slim hips. 'I thought Orochimaru was a pain in the ass, but that stubborn little shit stain is on a whole other level!'
Speaking of...
Kaede turned her head, her cocoa-brown eyes locking onto the darkened corner of the training room. "Y'can come out now." She announced, rolling her eyes when she heard a familiar chuckle, and the black-haired Otokage practically slithered out of his hiding place. "How long've y'been standing there?"
The Sannin shrugged his shoulder with his arm outstretched as he tilted his head to the side, giving her his usual sinister, yet mysterious smirk, the one that had whole armies wanting to punch him in the face. "You sound surprised to see me, given you were the one to call me out." He said. "I've been watching you since you left my office."
"And why would y'do that?" She pressed, turning to face him.
"Your questions about the training hall piqued my curiosity, and I wanted to see the fruits of your efforts for myself to ensure the time here wasn't wasted."
This made her frown soften into a curious pout and her red brow curved upwards. She wasn't buying it. In fact, she had a sneaking suspicion he was spying on her. Despite giving him her loyalties, her freedom, and her jutsu, she was certain any time she felt eyes on the back of her head, it was him, watching and waiting in the shadows.
He had many reasons to keep tabs on her activities, after all. She didn't exactly have the best track record for doing as he asked, and since she'd disobeyed him to save Henrei's life, she imagined he was a little on edge when it came to her being around the boy.
He likely thought the boy's adamant desire for revenge would rub off on her, despite the fact that she swore she had passed that stage in her life long ago.
However, despite her suspicions, which had some truth to them, especially when it came to her interactions with her student... the overall reason for his spying ways was not actually because of her.
There was a small part of him that wanted to keep tabs on their sessions now that Henrei was given physical training, not because he believed Kaede would defect; but because he knew the boy was waiting for his moment to strike, the moment that little shit would cut Kaede's throat open the way she had cut his mother's on the Sannin's orders. Orochimaru surmised that if he laid in wait and observed their lessons, then he could ensure such a scenario would never play out.
That didn't mean he didn't believe Kaede was capable of defending herself. Oh no, she was quite the competent kunoichi when she obeyed orders. However, she had worked for him for a long time now, and while she had done many dark and immoral tasks for him, and could be just as merciless and cruel as he was... He had watched her for long enough to know her weakness.
She had a soft spot for children, especially those that shared similarities with her. For example, she was fond of Naruto simply because he shared her rather exhausting personality, and she had mercy on Henrei because he shared her traumatic experiences. Those facts left her at a greater risk of dropping her guard around her new student, and the Otokage would be damned if he allowed a snot-nosed brat to take out an important piece on his shogi board.
The man felt a familiar discomfort settle in his gut, one that seemed to follow him whenever his thoughts turned to Kaede's potential, and probable, demise. This irked him to no end, since he knew he only concerned himself with the analytics behind his plans and the pawns that played a part in his games. He saw no reason to dwell on them enough to cause such an uncomfortable sensation, so why did it keep happening?
He knew the discomfort would turn to anger if he pondered the thought for long, so instead, he turned his attention back to their conversation. "Did your lessons go as planned? Has the boy made progress toward becoming a competent shinobi?"
This irritated his subordinate, who scoffed. "Don't try that crap on me, I know y'ain't interested in small talk!" She said, crossing her arms as she rested a majority of her weight on one leg. Her attitude was always strong, and it entertained him to no end, even now he found amusement in her annoyed expression.
"Hm, hm, hm... I have no idea what you're talking about, Firecracker." Orochimaru continued, as his fanged grin took over his features. "Does it truly surprise you to know I'm intrigued by your efforts?"
This made the redheaded kunoichi roll her eyes again as she sighed and walked over to the wall near the exit, gathering up her robe. "Y'saw the whole thing, right? Y'can guess how it went."
This pulled another amused sound out of him. "Yes, he is a rather... interesting pupil, isn't he?" The Sannin slowly walked up to her, looking out at the corridor the boy had stomped down. "His attitude reminds me vaguely of someone else. However, I can't pinpoint who it could be..."
"Hah! God you're hilarious." She said, her voice seeping with sarcasm as she slipped on her wooden sandals. She straightened up and followed his gaze towards the hall, only to pause for a moment, before her voice turned serious. "Why do I have t'be the one to train him?" This caused Orochimaru's smirk to falter and he crossed his arms, listening intently as his redheaded 'companion' vented her thoughts. "Look, I get it. I've done some pretty evil crap over the past two years... But why do I have t'come here every week and look at a reminder of that?"
Her voice held a pain in it he had heard many times before from her, an anguish he had seen on her face on countless occasions over the past few years she had been working for him. She was asking why she had to look at a reminder of her old self, why that reminder had allowed her to reconnect to her previous moral compass and make her realize just how far down the darkened alleyway she had allowed herself to wander.
However, he had no words to ease her thoughts, nothing to soothe her worries and bring back that bold smile he found both irritating and intriguing. Instead, he shrugged and let his arms drop to his side. "My decision to make you his sensei was not unfounded. You did well to convince him to join my ranks, after all."
The redhead's attention snapped back to the Sannin after he said that. "Wait..." She started, turning to face him with a suspicious scowl on her face. "How the hell d'you know I had to convince him?!" And with that, the evil snake's smirk returned with a vengeance, and Kaede felt the desire to wipe it off with her fist return full force. Of course, she didn't give him time to answer, as she raised her hand to silence anything he might have said, shaking her head before she pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a heavy sigh. "Y'know what? Don't even bother answering that." The disgruntled Jounin slipped into her maroon robe, using the thick gold sash to tie it shut. "Just when I thought I was getting the hang of y'spying on me too..."
"I was merely observing your methods, is that such a crime?" He asked, tilting his head to the side, a thin strand of black hair falling between his snake-like eyes.
An angry sneer was shot his way in response to his question. "When aren't y'watching me?!"
Orochimaru went to give her his usual cheeky retort, when suddenly footsteps were heard down the corridor and he watched with a raised brow as Kaede's head jerked up towards the source of the sound. After a second, a shadow passed, then a person appeared. The poor Genin froze when she looked up and saw them staring at her, before nervously speeding up, vanishing past the opposite wall and out of sight. This made Kaede sigh with relief, and her shoulders visibly relaxed.
That one action had cemented her concerns as nothing more than foolish paranoia. It was obvious someone had just walked past to get to their quarters and she happened to zero in on it, when usually she was too engrossed in her training to notice otherwise.
The concerns she had were nothing more than a pointless bout of anxiety that had her questioning whether or not someone was spying on her.
No wait, she wasn't completely wrong... Someone was spying on her.
She turned her attention to Orochimaru and finally finished tying her robe shut. Obviously, she had every reason to be paranoid, considering the snake asshole watched her from the shadows from time to time.
Anyone would be paranoid knowing one of the most dangerous rogue shinobi in the world was watching their every move, right?
Of course, the observant Sannin noticed her tense posture and decided he had teased her enough for the time being. "Well, now that your lesson is over, I'll take my leave and return to my work." He explained as he took a step towards the exit, aware she was watching his every move. "I have several new scrolls to analyze, inside are several new Kinjutsu, Senjutsu and Fuuinjutsu just ripe for taking."
"Heh." His words forced a huff of laughter to leave her lips, he never changed. "That's just like you, Snake-Eyes~!" She teased, planting a hand on her hip as she tilted her head to the side and flashed him a cheeky grin. "Y'appear out of nowhere, refuse t'answer my questions, and slither off before I can understand what y'wanted from me in the first place!"
"Hm, hm, hm, usually you're overjoyed to hear that I'm leaving you to your training." He countered, stopping at the door to look back at her, placing his hand against The frame. "Are you saying my presence is not a burden on you then?"
"When are y'not a burden?" She stepped towards him, prepared to pass to return to her room for a nap. "Y'take up my important free time constantly! I could be reading a book right now, but you're standing there, irritating the crap out of me!"
"Perhaps I should be lessening your free time then?" He asked, causing her to falter before she could pass. This made his lips curl back into a wider smirk, entertained by her reaction. "If all you do is read that terrible book, your time would be better spent elsewhere..." He straightened up and began walking down the hall. "You'll accompany me to my office then, there have been a few Kinjutsu scrolls that contain Katon jutsu, see if you can put them to good use."
The blank confusion that washed over her features was enough to ensure he didn't regret inviting her into his office for anything but a meeting or a... well, 'meeting.' She truly kept surprising him and he enjoyed every little change in her expression.
"Heh, y'must really care about me if y'want me t'hang out with you in your office, Orochi-sama~!" She taunted back, jogging to catch up with him, then slowing her pace to match his.
"Hm, hm, hm, don't misunderstand. I want nothing more than to shoo you away so that I can work. However, I know you well enough to know if I didn't invite you to join me, you would follow me anyway. At least in this instance, your presence will be beneficial, and not some irritating attempt to grate on my nerves."
"Oh don't worry, Snake Eyes!" Kaede said as they turned the corner towards his office. "I'll make sure t'be just as 'grating' t'you, whether y'invited me in or not!"
"I doubt you'll have to try."
"Aww, you're just worried you'll get soft on me!" She snickered as they reached the carved wooden door to his office. "Y'do get a little kinder when you're around me... Don't worry, I'll keep it a secret~!"
"Didn't I tell you not to misunderstand?" He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "I'm just making sure the time between your lessons with me, your training and your missions aren't wasted reading that pathetic excuse for a novel you seem to love so much."
"I don't know why y'keep saying that, since you've read it yourself. It can't be that bad if y'got to the end!"
This made the older man chuckle, and Kaede grinned as she turned and put her hands on her hips, now standing a little ahead of him, near his office door. "And why would you assume I would even dare to touch such drivel?"
This had her snickering. "Y'can cut the act, Orochi-sama! No one in this hideout is brave enough to take my book from me. And they're definitely not smart enough t'put the damn thing back before I can find out who took it! The only person that can pull something like that off, and would absolutely do it just t'piss me off..." She pointed at him. "Is you!"
The Sannin's dark laugh echoed through the empty halls and he crossed his arms, admittedly surprised by her observations. "You never cease to amuse me, do you, Firecracker?"
"Heh, y'keep forgetting something..." She walked up to him and pulled his collar down enough that their lips were almost touching, he could feel her hot breath hit his cheeks as she spoke. The heat between them rose at her close proximity and teasing words. "Y'might like t'get a rise out of me... But I can be just as bad as you are~."
Her whispering words, the way she kept their noses touching, but their lips apart. It was just as intoxicating as it was infuriating, to say the least. Orochimaru was the one who played games to get her desire to flourish, not the other way around, and he had no plans to pass that torch onto her anytime soon.
Without giving her much time to react, he pushed her against the door and pressed himself fully against her to ensure she couldn't escape his gaze. The gasp that left her had him yearning for more, and he grasped a handful of her hair to yank her head back, allowing him to press a heavy, passionate kiss to her hot lips. She inhaled sharply in her surprise, but was quick to melt into his searing embrace, openly allowing his tongue to explore her scalding mouth. After a moment of heated kisses and heavy breaths, Orochimaru pulled away just enough to speak. "Perhaps we should continue this... discussion in my study, hm?" He hissed out, leaning in enough to see when her breathing hitched once again. He knew just what buttons to press to get her to submit to his touch, and that knowledge aroused him more than any kiss ever could.
Kaede hummed. "Is that what we're calling our 'deals' now?" She asked, only to hear the Sannin inhale sharply and pull away. She too followed and the moment she stepped away from the door, he opened it and placed a hand firmly against her spine.
His cool touch made her shiver, and she practically shuddered when his equally cool breath wafted past the shell of her ear. "What we call our 'deals' is of no concern to me... No, instead, there is something else I want to hear from you."
"Oh yeah, and what's that?"
"My name, and nothing else." He licked his lips as he pushed her forward and into the room, where she stumbled in, caught her footing, and turned to face him, all while grinning from ear to ear. "Is that understood?"
Kaede hummed and stroked her chin, pretending to think. "Yeah, I think I can manage that~!" She said as she snatched the front of his shirt and tugged him into the room, all while he mirrored her expression and closed the door behind him with his foot.
She never ended up looking at those Kinjutsu scrolls.
~BHBL~
A month came and went in a flash, and on a hot summer morning, Kaede stepped out of the doors of Otogakure's hideout with Henrei in tow. The two of them had made strides in their training, and now that the boy had learned the basics of hand-to-hand combat, she was finally ready to crank the difficulty up a notch.
The young boy hissed as he and his teacher walked out of the stone snake's maw and into the blinding light of the sun which filtered through the gaps in the trees. "Ugh, it's too bright..." He complained, placing his hands over his eyes like a visor to block out the blinding rays.
Kaede snorted as she remembered the first time she had stepped out of the hideout after escaping, and how she had struggled to grow accustomed to the light as well. "Don't worry, you'll get used to it." She said, holding a sachel in one hand, while a large wooden stake was tucked under her other arm. She had yet to tell Henrei what their training would entail that day, but she knew if he paid attention, he would be fine.
The boy watched, his brow arched as Kaede dropped the sachel and walked forward several paces before stabbing the stake into the ground, hard enough that when she pushed it, the embedded wood didn't wobble one bit. "There!" She exclaimed, grinning at her work before she walked back over to her student and the discarded bag.
"What are you even doing?" He asked, crossing his arms as he tapped his fingers off his bicep. "Wouldn't it be easier to use the training dummy in the hall?"
"Heh, trust me kid, that dummy won't be able t'handle what we're going t'do!" Kaede dropped into a crouch and opened the sachel with swift hands, revealing several different kinds of weapons. There were Chakra knives, kunai, shuriken, and even senbon needles. "Since you've finally got the hang of Taijutsu, I thought we'd step it up a notch!"
Henrei looked at the different ninja tools, then glanced at his redheaded teacher with a skeptical look. "You're letting me use weapons?"
"Well yeah, y'can't be a ninja if y'don't know how t'use ninja tools!" She flashed him a cheeky grin as she straightened up once again, planting her hands on her hips, almost proud of herself for her effective lesson planning. "Here's what you're going t'do, you're going t'use each weapon against that stake, we'll focus on throwing weapons today, but y'can get a feel for the melee ones so y'won't be out of your depth when we switch over!"
The young, vengeful boy sighed and crouched down, looking over the different weapons for a moment. "So what are these things then?"
"Y'don't know what they're called?"
"Tch! Of course I don't! I didn't get the chance to go to the Academy!"
Kaede's grin fell and she felt a bit of guilt spark at the reminder of her mistakes. However, she said nothing and instead scooped up a kunai, twirling it a few times on her middle finger before she grasped the handle hard to stop its movement. "This is a kunai, if you're going t'be a shinobi, this is one of the most basic tools in your arsenal." Without giving her student time to even acknowledge what she said, she turned her torso slightly and tossed the blade at the stake, stabbing the center of the wooden target with enough force to make removing the dagger almost impossible. "It's a melee weapon usually, but if thrown right, it can be downright lethal to anyone who's unlucky enough t'stand in its path."
The Jounin walked over to the wooden target and tore the kunai out, tossing it lazily onto the pile, before she headed back over to pick up another one. "This..." She started, snatching the star-shaped weapon from the stash. "Is a shuriken. Any shinobi worth their salt can use one of these, and apart from the kunai, this is the most common weapon you'll see on the battlefield." She slipped the ring of the sharp object around her index finger and used her middle finger to push against one of the points, forcing it to spin around her digit rapidly. "Unlike the kunai, the shuriken isn't a melee weapon, but it's faster and lighter than the kunai, so it's far more useful in long-range battle."
To prove her point, she threw the shuriken, and Henrei barely had time to blink before it hit the target, piercing the same spot the kunai had once resided. She smirked as the boy's eyes widened, shocked by the speed and accuracy of her shot. She originally perfected her aim to ensure she could keep some distance between herself and her enemies, thanks to her lacking Taijutsu skills, but seeing her student's reaction now gave her a whole new appreciation for the skill.
'Poor kid is in way over his head if he thinks that was good.' She thought, not bothering to retrieve the shuriken since she'd packed several. Instead, she lifted three senbon needles and held them between each of her fingers. "These are senbon needles." She continued, raising them up so the sunlight bounced off their thin metal surfaces. "They're a lot like the shuriken, but because of how thin they are, they pierce a lot deeper than any of the other weapons you've seen today."
And once again, with a simple flick of the wrist, she tossed the needles at the marker and watched as the pointed sticks dug so deep into the wood, that if anyone tried to remove them, they would be wasting their energy. The senbon needles had made a home in that little log, and nothing would get them out again.
Henrei swallowed hard, and the reality of his situation began to settle heavily on his shoulders. Someday, he would have to use those same weapons to fight Kaede, to kill her so he could avenge his mother and everyone else he held dear. Seeing her use such simple tools with lethal artistry was a very sobering experience indeed.
The sound of Kaede scooping up the final weapons caught his attention and pulled him from his doubtful thoughts, and he looked up to see her holding the two blades like knuckle dusters, getting a feel for their weight. "I ain't used these very much, so give me a second t'get my bearings..." She said, slashing at the air with them for a second, before she took a deep breath and got into a fighting stance, glaring daggers at the stake that bore the brunt of their aggression. "These are Chakra Knives, and anyone'll tell y'that y'ain't getting anywhere with them unless you're a Chuunin rank or higher!"
This made the boy roll his eyes as he crossed his arms and glared at her. "Then why bother showing them to me?" He scoffed and glared off to the side. "I bet you're just doing this to show off, and you don't actually want to teach me anything!"
Kaede clicked her tongue and glanced at him from the corner of her eye, sick of his complaints already, and she hadn't even gotten to the bulk of their lesson. "Just shut up and listen, brat!" She hissed out. "I'm showing y'these now because you're not going t'get the chance t'rank up before you're forced t'fight with them! Orochi-sama ain't one t'keep y'at the back of the class 'cause you're too young t'be on the front lines! If y'don't want t'die on the battlefield, you'll pay attention t'me!" The stubborn teacher grunted and gripped the hilt of the blades a little tighter in her hands.
Henrei, who had intended to keep ignoring her, glanced over when he heard a whoosh, and his eyes almost burst out of their sockets when he saw the blades ignite, now engulfed in wispy red flames. Those were the same flames that swallowed his city whole, that almost took his life when he was trapped in that cell, and the sheer sight of them was enough to make his entire body tremble with fear.
However, he wasn't given time to process and overcome the initial terror those weapons caused as Kaede quickly kicked off towards the wooden log, slicing through their makeshift target with ease before she came to a stop behind it. After a second of silence, the log cracked and splintered, leaving a burnt line through the centre, which only grew in size as the top half of the pole slid down and fell to the ground.
With one fell swoop, she had effortlessly cut their only target in half, all without giving the log time to catch fire.
The redhead took a deep breath and straightened up, the flames around her blades dying out as she relaxed out of her fighting stance. "Heh, looks like today's lesson was cut short." She snickered at her own joke and turned to look at the damage she had caused. "Since we can't use the woods as target practice, I'm going t'have t'end the lesson here, but-," Her sentence was cut off when she directed her gaze to her student, only to falter when she saw the pure terror in his eyes, and the tremors wracking his fragile frame.
She saw the same fear in him that she felt whenever she was trapped in a small space. How could she be stupid enough to use fire jutsu around him after everything he'd seen already?! "Oh, crap...!" She took a step towards him, dropping the blades, but froze when he panicked and spun around, stumbling over his feet as he ran away from her.
"Henrei! Wait, y'can't just...!" Kaede let out a sharp growl and kicked off after him. "Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap...!" She let the curses slip under her breath as she ducked and weaves through the deep brush surrounding their hideout. Her eyes darted from left to right, searching high and low for the boy she was training.
If he got to Kusagakure, both his life and her own would be in grave danger. How could she be so stupid, so callous and so oblivious? Though they had gone over the basics of all the chakra types, she had only shown him small flames and wind bursts. She should have known seeing her flames cut down a target so effortlessly would reopen his traumatic wounds.
While she had the ability to grit her teeth and bear the brunt of her fears should they rear their ugly heads, Henrei was barely old enough to enter the academy, let alone process said fear and hide how it truly made him feel. It was natural he would run after such a frightening display of Katon jutsu.
Kaede came to a halt as she heard something in the distance to her right. It was a soft, barely there, noise. If she listened closely, it sounded similar to a sharp intake of breath, likely a sniffle from a scared little child. The older redhead followed the sound and visibly relaxed when she pulled some leaves out of the way to reveal Henrei hiding inside a bush, knees tucked against his chest as he hid his head within the cocoon of his crossed arms.
She took a step forward, and the boy's head immediately shot up. She gave him an awkward wave, and he scoffed, glaring off to the side as he wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. "What do you want?" He snapped, obviously putting on a brave face in front of the person he hated most.
"Not going t'lie, I expected y'to run straight for Kusagakure," Kaede admitted.
"I was going to but..." He huffed. "I don't know how to get there from Otogakure."
Kaede sighed, then slowly stepped over the branches and into the thick shrub. She remembered hiding in places like these whenever she wanted to avoid people, but being an adult, she realized just how uncomfortable it was to fit into such a small space.
She made a note to check in the mirror later since she felt a couple of thorns digging into the bare skin of her arms.
Henrei clicked his tongue with irritation as the woman sat beside him, cursing when she was jabbed by a branch. He just wanted her to leave him alone, but of course, she couldn't do that. There were too many risks involved, especially if he managed to go crying to Kusagakure.
"Look, kid..." Kaede started after a moment of awkward silence. She bent one of her legs and let her arm drape over the knee, though she didn't look very comfortable in the tight environment. "I get it, okay?"
"Get what?" The stubborn child asked, burying the lower half of his face into his crossed arms, muffling his shaking voice.
The sight alone made her hardened heartache with guilt and empathy. She understood everything he felt and more. "I'm sorry..." She blurted out, causing the boy's eyes to widen a little as he lifted his head and gave her his full, albeit slightly cautious, attention. This had the redheaded sensei averting her gaze away from him, showing the smallest hint of vulnerability. "I'm sorry I did this to you, that you're suffering now 'cause of me." She closed her eyes tightly. "I could tell you I was doing it to keep myself alive, that I'd be killed if I defied him, but... That's a lie, and I know it."
The Ninjutsu Expert lifted her hand and stared at her calloused palm and fingers. "The truth is, I did it for my own sake." She clenched her fist tightly as she gritted her teeth. "Your city was planning t'use Ishigakure t'break a deal they'd made with Orochimaru. Which y'wouldn't know 'bout, since you're just a kid." She let out a humorless laugh, running her fingers through her fringe. "If Ishigakure'd found us, then everyone in Otogakure would be at risk, not just Orochimaru."
The idea alone was enough to make her shudder, which Henrei caught onto, though she tried to hide it. "And if y'knew what kinda hell I'd been through, then you'd know why I won't let that happen." She let go of her fringe and dropped her head, her hand gripping her knee forcefully. "If Ishgakure'd found our hideout, then in the best case scenario, they'd capture me, lock me up, and throw away the key...!"
"Good." Henrei snapped with barely a breath between her words and his retort. "A murderer like you deserves it!" Without giving her a chance to explain further, the boy stood up and spun to face her, gritting his teeth and clenching his tiny fists. "Did you think spilling your sob story to me would get me to forgive you for what you've done?" He let out an empty, almost venomous laugh, while Kaede kept her gaze towards the ground, her hair covering her eyes from view. "You're a murderer, a cold-blooded killer who walks all over people just to get what you want!" He spat at the ground by her feet. "If karma caught up with you tomorrow, it'd be too late. Someone like you deserves to be hunted and killed! And if I have anything to do with it, I'll be the one to do it!"
With that, Kaede listened as her student spun around and stormed out of the shrub, stomping back towards Otogakure, since he knew if he went to Kusagakure, his redheaded sensei would not hesitate to kill him so she could save her own skin. As he left, said woman stood up and stepped out of the bush, watching him walk away with tired eyes and a forced smirk.
'Looks like your suggestion didn't work Orochi-sama... The kid's too far gone for empathy.' She huffed and pinched the bridge of her nose, massaging the area in hopes of smoothing away the pain she felt deep within. 'Not that it makes a difference, why should that strong-willed brat forgive me when I can't even forgive myself?'
She dropped her hand to her side and looked back up at Henrei, who was almost out of sight. She knew no matter what she did, he would forever hate her for her actions in Tenkachi City, and honestly, she had no other choice but to come to terms with that and continue to move forward. Not everyone could find it within themselves to empathize with the person who wronged them and forgive them for their sins.
Kaede just so happened to be one of the rare few that found peace. And while she knew she would never be able to erase what she had done, she would continue to work hard to ensure the boy had every chance to succeed within their ranks.
She would give him the same chance Orochimaru had given her, even if his inner peace could only be achieved through her death. Perhaps, just like her, he had to try and fail before he saw that revenge did nothing to ease the suffering of his soul.
Suddenly Kaede stiffened up as a bush a good thousand yards behind her rustled. Since she had seen Henrei head in the opposite direction, she knew that the sound belonged to something else, and the same anxiety she felt when she was alone in the training hall came rushing back with a vengeance.
Since she and Henrei had run a fair distance into the forest, there was a chance that the Kusagakure scouts had spotted them and were now pursuing them. However, she knew the village's usual patrol routes, and this wasn't one of them. That meant whatever was behind her was not part of Kusagakure at all, but something else altogether.
The Jounin-level kunoichi spun around and got into a fighting stance, prepared for anyone or anything that could burst from the hiding place beneath the leaves. However, she soon relaxed when a small red snake slithered out, rearing back and flicking its little tongue at her curiously. "God dammit..." She sighed, straightening up and placing her hand on her hip. "Wait a minute...You're that snake I take on missions with me, aren't you?" She asked, walking over and crouching down by the little reptile. "Orochimaru doesn't usually let the smaller ones wander too far... What're you doing out here?"
The redhead placed her hand on the ground and smiled when the snake flicked his tongue at her thumb, before he slithered up her extended limb, wrapping himself securely around her elbow and bicep. With the creature safely collected, she stood up and turned, beginning the trek back to Otogakure with her cold-blooded passenger in tow. "C'mon, let's get y'inside. I bet Orochi-sama wouldn't be happy t'know y'snuck out!"
The snake looked up at her blankly and she chuckled, petting his head with her forefinger. "Heh, I think I need some time off." She looked back at the settled shrubs. "First I get paranoid over nothing, then I start talking to a snake like it can answer me... I swear Orochi-sama is right and I'm going senile." She gave the serpent a serious look as she pointed that same finger at its nose. "Don't tell him I said that!"
The last thing she needed was another boost to that pale Sannin's ever-expanding ego.
"Maybe I should give you a name... Since you've taken a liking t'me and all." Kaede left the small opening where she had spilled her innermost thoughts.
She didn't see or hear that same bush begin rustling once again the moment she was out of earshot.
~BHBL~
Kaede laid full stretch across her bed, the covers beneath her back as she bent her legs and rested one of her calves against the knee of the other. She had her usual book in hand, turning the pages leisurely as she read the words she had come to memorize over the years. While she had many new volumes that she had read the moment she got her hands on them; once she had caught up with the series thus far, she tended to return to the tattered volume that she knew and loved greatly.
As the sound of paper scraping against her fingers filled the silence of the room, the sudden sound of a knock jolted Kaede out of her tranquil relaxed state, causing her to roll her eyes as she continued to read, ignoring whoever was standing on the other side of the door.
Was she ever allowed a moment of peace in this God-forsaken place?!
Another knock sounded through the room.
"I'm not in!" She called out, only to groan when the knocking persisted. "Alright, alright!" The redhead sat up and snapped her book shut, leaving it on the plush blanket as she stood up and stretched out her arms. "I swear, if someone ain't dying, I'm gonna-!" Of course, her sentence was cut short when she opened the door to see Orochimaru stood there with a smirk on his lips and his arms crossed, leaning against the doorframe. "Oh."
"Hm, hm, hm, is that really how you greet your superiors?"
"Depends on what they want." Kaede quipped, planting a hand on her hip. "I've finished all my tasks for today, right? Don't y'know what a break is?"
This only made the Sannin chuckle. "I'm not here to discuss work matters." He stated simply.
Kaede arched a brow. "So what, you're here for a different reason? Heh, if you're here about our deal, y'picked the right time!" She flashed him a cheeky grin. "I just got through a pretty spicy chapter~!"
"While the prospect is tempting..." Orochimaru began, walking into her room. "That is also not the reason I'm here."
The redhead stood there, dumbfounded as the Sannin passed her and went over to her bookshelf, where he inspected her many Icha-Icha volumes. "Tch, why don't y'come in?" She offered sarcastically before she pushed the door shut with an audible click. "If y'ain't here for that, then what d'you want?" She began to gather the various bits and bobs she had scattered around her room, mainly empty cola cans and haphazardly placed notes for her training sessions with Henrei. She would have cleaned beforehand, but in all honesty, she wasn't expecting company.
It was just like Orochimaru to spring a visit like this on her to get a reaction. He was both infuriating and intriguing, to say the least.
"I just wanted to say that you did well in bringing that snake back to me." The Otokage said, turning to face her, amused by her arched brow as she stopped what she was doing momentarily to give him said look. "It's rare for them to ignore my orders and stray too far, and even rarer for them to refuse to let me see through their eyes."
"Don't worry 'bout it, I'm sure he'd have come back on his-," Kaede started, only to freeze mid-clean when his words sank in completely. Suddenly, she snapped her attention back up to the man towering over her, that irritating smirk still covering his features. "Hold on a sec... 'See through their eyes?'"
"Hm, hm, are you really blind to my abilities, Firecracker?" He asked. "Yes, I can use my Chakra to see through the eyes of my summons, it is how I was able to track your progress during the Chuunin Exams. Didn't you find it strange that I knew what you'd done before you had the chance to report your results?"
Kaede opened and closed her mouth, attempting to come up with an answer to his words, before she growled and tossed the rubbish she'd collected onto the ground once again. "Did y'use them to keep tabs on my other missions too?" She ground out, pacing back and forth as her fingers wove into her fringe. She was growing agitated, and while it was amusing, Orochimaru didn't blame her.
If he had been in her shoes, he was sure his expression would have soured in an instant. Not many took the news well, especially those who valued their freedom above all else.
"Yes, in every mission I've had you carry a snake, it was to keep tabs on your movements." His smile fell and he raised his hand to silence her the moment she opened her mouth, attempting to snap a rebuttal in his direction. "And before you begin your angry tirade, it wasn't a matter of trust." He dropped his hand. "Though if it were, could you truly blame me, given your past actions?"
And with that, Kaede's jaw snapped shut and she bit her tongue to force back any curse words she was about to sling in his direction. Instead, she averted her gaze to the side, glaring daggers at the wooden door separating her safe space from the rest of Otogakure.
Of course, he would keep an eye on her... She had done a lot during her time working for him, and a majority of those acts were against his orders. Whether it was attempts at his life, angry reactions to his taunts that jeopardized their missions or outright refusing to follow his commands... She had done enough in her short time there to warrant his caution, and it pissed her off to no end.
However, instead of letting any anger or bitterness consume her, she gritted her teeth tightly for a moment, before she forced a grin across her lips. "I didn't know y'worried 'bout me that much, Snake-Eyes~!" She teased, attempting to lighten the mood as not to allow herself to wallow in her own regrets.
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do." Orochimaru admitted, almost laughing when her forced grin dropped in her shock. "Don't act so surprised, Kaede-chan~. If anything were to happen to you, my plans would be affected greatly." He chuckled as her shock wore off and she scoffed, crossing her arms. "And if you were to be captured, rather than killed, then my location would be compromised."
Kaede huffed, glaring daggers at him as she ignored the soft, fluttering sensation she felt in the pit of her stomach. "I'm not some weak little Genin, Orochi-sama... I wouldn't break under pressure, and I definitely wouldn't tell anyone where y'were."
"Oh?" The pale Sannin crossed his arms, placing one of his elbows in his hand as he used the fingers of the other to stroke his chin. "Even if you were captured and tortured? Can you guarantee your silence when you're forced into a cage and beaten until you spilled your darkest secrets?"
His subordinate immediately tensed up at the mention of a cage, and he scanned her physique to see just how she reacted to his words. There was clear fear in her eyes at the thought of being locked up again, and something about that expression on her face had something within him twisting uncomfortably. This discomfort made him narrow his eyes as a frown tugged at his lips.
However, that only lasted a split-second before he plastered on a fake smile and shrugged, allowing his hand to drop away from his chin as he outstretched it in his usual exaggerated manner. "Rest assured, Kaede." He started, his tone light. "Your fears are ungrounded, as long as my snakes are watching, I can personally guarantee that you will not be captured or restrained by our enemies." He dropped his arms, and while the smile remained on his lips, his eyes spoke of his true emotions, his determination to keep his word to her. "And if the worst did come to pass, there would be a swift rescue on the horizon."
Orochimaru was surprised to see that his words helped her, as her shoulders sagged and she let out a soft breath, relaxing at his promise. The sight of which caused the uncomfortable knot in his stomach to unwind and fade away completly. Of course, this was short lived as Kaede paused and shot him a cautious glance.
"Does that promise cross over t'here as well?" She asked.
It took him a moment to process her words and understand what she meant. She was asking if he would guarantee she would remain unchained, even when in Otogakure That she would never again see the inside of a cell while under his protection.
At the realization of her true question, his seriousness spread across his features, and he knew then that he had her full attention. "I made a promise to you before, did I not?" He started. "Your freedom, now that you have escaped the cage called 'revenge,' would not be compromised again... I am a man of my word, and I detest lies, even if I must tell them at times to turn the tides in my favor." His words were heavy and held the utmost conviction. "So rest assured, you will keep your freedom."
Kaede agreed with his statement about lies, and how he would tell them at times to ensure things went his way. However, as she looked into his green-yellow irises, slashed with thin black pupils, she saw nothing but honesty there. He had no intentions of deceiving her, and that notion, that promise, had a genuine smile tugging at her lips, surprising even the Sannin himself. "Heh, I'm glad y'finally saw sense, Orochi-sama~!" She said, and while her words were only a tease, he could hear something that sounded almost like gratitude in her tone.
No... It was gratitude.
Orochimaru took the comfortable atmosphere as an opportunity to pull a small sack from the delve in his rope belt, he then turned and placed it on her bedsheets behind him. "There was another reason I came here... This is your pay for the month." He shot a smirk over his shoulder. "And you'd be wise to use it on something other than those horrendous books."
With that, the strange, albeit slightly pleasant, air in the room dissipated and Kaede barked out a laugh. "I ain't making no promises, Snake-Eyes!" She said, walking over and snatching up the bag, tossing it in the air as the man turned to face her, the two now inches apart. "If y'stay on my good side, I might keep it in mind~!"
"Hm, And if you wish to remain on mine, you'll see to it that you do. For now though, I'll take my leave." The Sannin walked to the door, pausing for a moment before he glanced at her over his shoulder once again. "I will return when our arrangement needs further discussion~."
After that, he left and she walked over to the door, closing it behind him. Her grin softened and she turned, leaning against the wooden barrier. For the first time in a long time, she felt like she could trust his words completely, that he wouldn't betray her confidence and retract his statement should she make any more major mistakes under his command or fail any future missions he sent her on. Maybe she really was free, at long last, and she just needed that little bit of confirmation to take her first step out of the darkness of her past.
Orochimaru had no idea how much she valued his declaration, nor how it would affect their relationship going forward.
A/N: Thank you for reading, please review if you found anything within this story that doesn't make sense, or just want to tell me what you thought of the chapter! Tell me if I got Henrei's age wrong, it's been so long since I wrote his debut chapter that I struggle to remember all the details, and if I have got it wrong, I'll make the change immediately to ensure this piece remains consistent!
English to Japanese
Katon = Fire Release
Kinjutsu = Forbidden Techniques
Senjutsu = Sage Techniques
Fuuinjutsu = Sealing Techniques
Otogakure = Hidden Sound Village
Otokage = Sound Shadow
Shinobi = Male ninja
Kunoichi = Female ninja.