Chapter 41 - Uncomfortable Feelings


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, look what I've got for you! I ended up finishing the planning for the next five chapters far sooner than I expected! I guess finally hitting the chapters with some actual romantic content gives me a spark of motivation. (I won't say which chapter, that's for you to find out. Lol.)

I was curious, would you guys like to see Kaede learn the Summoning Jutsu, or even Sage Mode? I was contemplating giving her one, the other or both at some point, but I wasn't sure if she would become too overpowered since she's already stronger than the Uchiha Clan when it comes to flame jutsu.

Let me know what you think, ok?

Enjoy!


The serene views of the savannah were always a comfort to the redheaded kunoichi that had grown accustomed to the soft breeze and gentle wildlife that thrived in the somewhat harsh environment. Days like this, warm with barely a cloud in the sky were the days Kaede lived for, and once took for granted in the suffocating desert of Sunagakure. Now she stood there, barefoot in the sharp grassy terrain, eyes closed as she carefully and gracefully performed some slow Taijutsu attacks. She moved with such unrushed elegance, that anyone would believe she was dancing to some unheard song.

Elegance and patience were two things Kaede usually lacked, but in such a wonderful setting, she thought it would be nice to let her mind take a backseat and allow her body to move as if to relieve any unused energy she may be harboring.

However the serenity she felt was soon disturbed by the sound of footsteps behind her, and without wasting even a second, she spun around and swung her foot out to attack the intruder. Her kick was easily blocked by a pale white arm and the hand of the other grasped her ankle, keeping her locked in place. Upon seeing who the intruder was, Kaede's intense frown turned into a smirk, which was mirrored by her guest.

"Got t'say, Orochimaru-sama..." She started, as the snake sannin chuckled and dropped her foot, letting her regain her balance. "Y'ain't too smart if y'sneak up on someone doing their morning training!"

"Perhaps you and I have different meanings for the word 'training', dear Firecracker~!" Orochimaru taunted back, shrugging a single shoulder with his arm outstretched, emphasizing his aloof taunts further. "I don't see how such slow movements would assist you in the midst of combat."

"Well, I managed t'catch y'by surprise, didn't I?" Kaede grinned as she walked over to her sandals and slipped then back on.

"Hm, hm, believe what you must, but I doubt 'catching me by surprise' would result in me having the time to anticipate and block your attack accordingly."

"Heh, you're just a paranoid ass, y'can't drop your guard for anyone."

Orochimaru's chuckle rumbled through his chest and he waved off her taunts, gesturing for her to walk alongside him and into the hideout. "More importantly, I have a task for you..."

"Oh yeah?" Kaede arched a brow as the Sannin started walking into the dark abode with her following behind. "What d'you want now? I ain't exactly keeping track, but I don't think we need t'get more supplies for another week at least."

"You're correct to assume that's not the reason I came looking for you." He glanced at her over his shoulder, their footsteps echoing in the narrow walls of the staircase leading into the dark corridors of their 'home.' "In fact, your Katon abilities have been improving rather quickly, as of late."

"Eh?" Kaede halted on the stairs, giving him a suspicious glare, she did not like it when he praised her strengths, it always felt like he did so to butter her up for whatever he wanted next. "Alright, what d'you want? I ain't stupid, spill!"

Orochimaru's smirk widened and he turned his head to look at her from the corner of his mirth-filled yellow eyes, fangs gleaming in the candlelight, which made Kaede's heart rate pick up, but she ignored it. "You're rather sharp today, are you not? Perhaps those slow motions do more than assist your reflexes?" He laughed and continued down the steps, finally reaching the corridor. "Your Katon far exceeds the abilities of the Uchiha clan's living members, and because of this knowledge, I have a proposition for you."

"Oh yeah?" Kaede had a feeling she knew what he was going to ask, as they neared the training hall, where Sasuke stood, leaning against the doorframe with a bored expression. "Let me guess, y'want me to take some time out of my busy schedule to train your little 'prodigy?'"

"My, your sharp intuition continues to surprise me~!" Orochimaru stopped by the young Uchiha brat, who looked up, just as confused as Kaede was a moment ago, he had no idea what was going on. "I believe your abilities with Katon will further assist him in utilizing his own in combat, therefore I request that you train him."

"Yeah, of course, you 'request' I train someone who ain't my business." Kaede rolled her eyes and Sasuke scoffed, glaring at her, he was just as happy with this as she was. Of course, that small sound of distaste made the redhead smirk and begin her usual mocking. "What's the matter, kiddo, can't take the heat and need someone t'hold your hand?"

"Like I'd ask you for help," Sasuke replied curtly, confidence exuding from his every word as he looked away from her, she was not worth his time. "Whether you train me or not has no impact on me, I just want the power I was promised. If Orochimaru seeks you out to give me that power, then I'm not going to deny it, even if I don't see how you can be any use to me."

Though that last sentence made her want to break his little jaw with one strong punch, Kaede laughed it off and her grin darkened ever so slightly, the amusement not reaching her eyes. "Alright then, I'll train him, but I ain't going t'go easy on him for your sake, Orochimaru-sama."

Orochimaru chuckled, having enjoyed their little back-and-forth silently. "I see no problems with that, just make sure not to outright kill him, I won't be pleased if you destroyed my future vessel."

Sasuke glared at the two of them, then huffed irritably and walked into the training hall with the pair following behind, discussing the training that was about to take place, while he prepared for the hell Kaede would put him through. The young genius would do whatever it took to get revenge on his older brother, no matter who he had to 'buddy' up with.

Of course, Kaede could feel his dark, avenging desires from where she stood, and paused to glance at the young boy. If only he could understand the emptiness that followed an attempt at taking a life...Well, it was not like she could change his mind.

All she could do was train him as Orochimaru requested, what he did with that power was his own business.

-BHBL-

The training went on for a good few hours before Kaede finally ended the session for the day. Neither she nor Orochimaru had a scratch on them, while Sasuke was breathing heavily, covered in burns and bruises from the many failed attempts he had endured trying to stop Kaede's flame-fueled assaults. "Right, I think that's enough for today!" The older redhead called out as she straightened up out of her fighting stance and dusted off her hands. "I ain't about t'work you 'til y'drop, like this asshole." She pointed her thumb at Orochimaru, who was stood on top of a snake statue, watching the match with a smirk and crossed arms. "Go get some rest, we'll continue where we left off tomorrow!"

"I can still fight." Sasuke proclaimed.

Kaede stared at him and sighed, shaking her head as she arched a brow. "Y'got guts kid, I'll give y'that..." She started, walking over to collect her slippers and robe. "But I ain't going t'work y'to the bone on the first day. If y'over do it, you'll drop to the floor like a dead fly. I'll work y'even harder tomorrow, don't y'worry 'bout that."

Sasuke clicked his tongue, eyes downcast with self-loathing at his own weakness, before he gripped his burnt arm and started staggering from the room, clearly not able to keep going, despite his protests. Once he was out of earshot, Orochimaru's soft landing was heard behind her as he jumped from the statue's large snout. "Hm, hm, though you gave him quite the short introduction to your preferred means of fighting, you were quite ruthless with your approach to the work~! More than once, I thought I would have to intervene to ensure his survival."

"Heh." Kaede huffed out a laugh as she slipped into her robe and clipped it shut, shooting the Sannin a grin over her shoulder, which made his own smirk widen. "Y'don't get anywhere in life with easy work, Snake-Eyes!" She then turned to face him and planted her hands on her hips. "And it ain't like y'can talk! At least I left him in one piece!"

This brought forth a sly, amused chuckle as Orochimaru mirrored her posture. Kaede's large smile widened further as she started unclipping her robe again, deciding that she was not quite done with her training. "Y'know what...?" She started, tossing it to the side along with her large sandals. "I ain't tired...How 'bout we have a little match? Y'never got the chance to train me today, after all~!"

"Oh?" Orochimaru implored, arching a brow as he crossed his arms, mirth in those yellow eyes that looked her over. "Despite your obvious distaste for my company, you would agree to spar with me?" He laughed and turned, walking a small distance away so they could have a proper battle. "Very well, though I won't go easy on you~!"

"Hah!" Kaede got into a fighting stance, and the serpent summoner followed suit. "Like I'd let you!"

After a beat of silence, the two kicked off towards each other, Orochimaru quickly thrusting out his arm, a giant cobra darting out of his sleeve, maw wide open, displaying its sharp, venomous fangs. Kaede grinned and slapped her hands together in a flurry of seals, vanishing from sight in a ball of flames, which the snake dove headfirst into, burning it to a crisp.

The Sannin smirked and let the reptile fall out of his sleeve, dead, and listened carefully for Kaede, using his chakra to feel any disturbances in the air around him. When a shift of air pressure whisked behind him, he quickly spun around and slammed his palm into her gut, leading her to choke out a cough as she was flung backwards, hitting the ground on her back, rolling to a stop a good ten feet away.

"Hff, y'think that'll stop me?" Kaede rasped out, coughing as she got to her knees and hugged her stomach. Though she did not have time to register what happened next as Orochimaru appeared in front of her and swung his foot out, slamming his heel into her cheek, sending her barrelling into the back wall of the training hall.

"Hm, hm, of course not," Orochimaru stated, dusting off his beige colored shirt as his eyes followed the dust cloud that had been caused by the impact. "I was merely distracting you for the sake of a secondary attack, such a basic skill should be obvious to you, Firecracker~!"

"It was!"

Orochimaru's smile fell and he turned quickly, only just catching Kaede's eye before she breathed a massive fireball at him, which engulfed him with ease. Horrible cries of pain were heard, before the sound of Shunshin taking effect filled the air. He appeared a small distance away from the redhead, injured and angry, as he opened his mouth, a second version of himself darting out, shedding his precious skin so that all his burn injuries no longer showed on the surface.

He straightened up, his snake-like tail transforming back into his legs as he chuckled, leering at her with an amused smirk. "Now when were you going to let slip that you had learned the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu?" He then kicked off again and Kaede crossed her arms over her face to block his punch, before the two began their usual Taijutsu back and forth, ducks and dodges between flurries of fists and feet.

"I thought it'd be a nice surprise~!" She jeered, diving to the ground and sweeping out her leg, watching as the Sannin jumped into the air and pulled the Kusanagi Blade from his mouth. "Ah, crap!" She exclaimed as he went to pierce her with the pointed weapon, only for her to roll away and watch as the sword stabbed deep into the stone as if it were made of paper.

"Hm, hm, aren't you just full of surprises." The serpentine shinobi taunted, yanking the sword from the stone and twirling it in his hand before he ran at her once more. Kaede blocked another sharp slash of his blade with the slightly duller edge of a kunai, one she frequently held in her sleeve, now held inside a temporary pouch strapped to her waist. "Your Taijutsu has improved just as quickly as your Ninjutsu as of late, perhaps I should intensify your training further."

"Heh, I ain't going t'complain 'bout that!" She struggled to push back against the longer weapon and gritted her teeth, kicking him hard in the stomach and forcing him to stagger back with a sharp cough. She got to her feet and jumped into the air, landing on the snake statue's large center head. "But that just means I'm going t'go all out even more!" She formed the seals needed for her jutsu. "Futon: Senkai Hari Danmaku!"

Chakra began to swirl around her body, increasing in speed as she concentrated, before finally turning to sharp needles made of air, shooting at Orochimaru like a barrage of deadly bullets. The quickness of the action made it near impossible for most enemies to avoid, but the Otokage was not most enemies, as a large cluster of snakes appeared where he once stood.

"What the-" Kaede knew he had Shunshined his way out danger, and was quick to turn, expecting him to appear behind her, which he did. Without giving her a chance to react, he kicked her in the jaw, sending her flying into the air, where he appeared above her, slamming the heel of his foot into the top of her head. She fell with incredible speed and a plume of dust engulfed her as she landed hard on the stone ground below, cracks heard from the impact.

The Sannin did not give her time to recover as he dove down into the cloud and landed hard, the two hidden from sight for a moment as the smoke finally began to clear. In the end, Kaede was lying on the ground, spread out and bleeding from the mouth, while Orochimaru was all but straddling her lap, the sharp side of his blade pressed gingerly against the tanned, marred skin of her neck.

"It seems I win, once again~!" Orochimaru stated as the two stayed in that position, both breathing heavily, Kaede flushed from the exertion that came with her newly improved Taijutsu. However, it was apparent that she still had to train her endurance to match.

"Yeah right, I let y'win this time!" Kaede stated boldly with a grin that could spread to a thousand different people and make them all want to wipe it off her face at the same time.

Her opponent let out a deep breathy laugh, releasing her from his hold as he stood and held out his free hand for her to take. Kaede's grin only widened as she took his ice-cold hand and allowed him to yank her to her feet. Once she was steady, she groaned and dropped her head back, planting that same hand on her shoulder as she rolled it painfully. "Damn, y'did a number on me with that last kick..."

"I did warn you that I would not go easy on you." Orochimaru reminded her, his eyes wandering from her face to scan the rest of her form. Though she was covered in the dust and dirt of the room, along with a thin layer of sweat, her body was toned yet slender for someone of her age. Something within him stirred and his lips twitched upwards for a split second as he mused his own reaction.

He would have to ponder that at a later date.

Kaede opened her eyes when she heard Orochimaru's ninja sandals scrape and saw him turn to leave the room. "Where're y'going, Orochimaru-sama?" She asked, usually he gave her pointers before leaving so abruptly, therefore she knew something was up.

"Though our little spars keep me entertained, dear Firecracker..." He started, flashing her a cheeky half-smile, mirth gleaming in those yellow irises he was known for. "I have other matters to tend to, and cannot afford to spend any more time socializing with you."

"Oh yeah?" Kaede flashed him her trademark, arrogant beam and tapped the kunai off her neck, not hard enough to cut skin, but enough that a normal person would fear for her safety, and sanity. "Y'ain't the only one with things t'do! My curry ain't going t'eat itself, y'know!"

Orochimaru's laughed filled the air as his shoulders shook. "I expect you to fulfill your duties with as much vigor as you do your meals." He said simply, before turning and leaving the room once again, the two going their separate ways at long last.

He had Kinjutsu to read and his own body's reactions to analyze, after all.

~BHBL~

'That asshole owes me big time for this!'

In the forests around Konohagakure, there was a deadly commotion involving an entire cell of Konoha shinobi and one, rather defiant, Oto kunoichi. Kaede swung and weaved through the large oak trees with dexterity fitting her title as Jounin, while being chased by those of equal status at a much younger age. She had been ordered by Orochimaru to spy on the rather formidable nation to see how they were fairing with Tsunade as the new Hokage, and during her stealth operation, one of the more silent scouts had caught wind of her and alerted his platoon in response.

Now she was doing everything in her power to fight back without getting killed herself, as they had a Suiton user among their ranks. "Can this get any worse?" She hissed out as she spun around in mid-air and shot a flurry of blazing fireballs at them, taking out two of her pursuers with ease, luckily, one of them was the Suiton user. 'Dammit Orochimaru, I'm going t'kick your ass when I get back!'

She grabbed a branch and swung herself high into the air, forming seals for her Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, forcing a second version of herself to appear out of thin air. The two landed on the branches below, shocking her enemies, as they could not see the appearance of her second self through the thick leaves of the rather overcrowded forest dwelling. "Sir, which one do we follow?!" The younger of the two remaining shinobi asked as both Kaede and her clone darted off in different directions.

"Tch!" The leader would have had them split up and chase each of them down separately, but she was listed as an S-rank shinobi in the Bingo Books and as such, teamwork was a priority to take her down. But before he could come up with a plan, they were both blind sighted when someone cleared their throat behind them and they turned to see the real Kaede crouched on the branch above them.

"I ain't stupid enough t'leave my real body as a decoy." She claimed confidently, before throwing the kunai she had between her fingers, watching as the younger Jounin cried out and fell to his death when a blade dug deep into his neck. While his superior caught the projectile aimed at him in mid-air and sent it back, which Kaede avoided with a well-timed Shunshin. "Heh..." She started, appearing a small distance away, her shadow clones long gone, and nothing more than little clouds of smoke. "I got t'praise y'for your skills, it ain't often I fail t'kill after a move like that~!"

"Be silent, traitor!" The shinobi sneered, his mask-clad expression twisting with disgust.

Those words made the smirk on the redhead's lips fall away into cold hatred. "Y'think I'm a traitor?" She questioned, dropping off the branch suddenly, too fast for the shinobi to react as he rushed to the edge of his own and looked down at the ground below.

Once she landed safely and with little sound, she formed the seals for one of her personal jutsu. "Katon: Taifū o Moyasu!" She inhaled deeply and blew out a strong torrent of flames at the tree the shinobi was standing in, which became a swirling vortex of agony, engulfing the precious piece of nature, and the shinobi inside, who cried out as he was burned alive.

"That's what y'get, asshole!" She shouted into the flames, before turning and kicking off away from the forest fire she had caused. She would have to be quick, otherwise, she would be caught by those that would eventually investigate the smoke flooding the air above. "I ain't some traitor..." She weaved through the trees like a leaf moving through the wind. "Its everyone else who's the traitor. All I did was follow orders, and look where that got me?"

She scoffed as she finally vanished from sight, unseen, unheard...unloved.

After some time, the Ninjutsu expert finally stopped in a nearby cluster of bushes, crouching down and hiding away as she caught her breath after pushing her body as hard as she could to escape the carnage she had left behind. She had to keep low, to ensure she had not been followed. She flopped down into a sitting position and ran her fingers through her fringe as she inhaled deeply, calming her thumping heart.

'I got t'say, I'm surprised Konoha recovered so quickly after the Chuunin Exam fiasco...' She thought, closing her eyes as she let go of her fiery locks. All of the events from the moment she started working for Orochimaru to this day, over a year later played through her mind. The many horrible things she had done and the people she had killed for her own ambitions, which turned into nightmares when she realized she was too weak to do any of the things that might have given her peace of mind.

A dark laugh left her as she glared at the leaves swaying around her in the soft wind. 'After all the crap I've pulled, I wouldn't even be the hero of my own story...' She thought, letting out a sigh as she stood up, peeking out of the brush to see if she was clear to move. Once she was certain, she jumped into the trees and continued towards the place she had no choice but to call home.

Even though Orochimaru was the reason for this hell, to begin with, she could not blame him for every little thing that went wrong, her own actions lead to this moment, therefore she was just as much to blame as he was. In the end, no one is perfect, and she knew too well that she was the furthest from perfect out of anyone.

All that mattered now, was living life day by day, just striving to find new things to strive for.

~BHBL~

Kaede eventually arrived at the hideout after a good two-week trek through the different nations and countries leading to the savannah where Otogakure laid in hiding. She had been keeping her head low and making her way back with silent steps and cautious nights setting traps to ensure she could sleep without being found by any Konoha cells sent to track her down.

Thankfully, she had managed to stay below the radar after torching the forest and assumed they were too busy trying to stop that inferno to make chase, which in turn lead to her getting back in two weeks, rather than three, or even four. Without wasting a breath, the redhead walked down the steps into the hideout, holding the wall to ensure her balance as her eyes adjusted to the dark setting after being outside for so long. "The sooner I report this to Ol' Snake Eyes, the sooner I can drop down on my bed and take a proper nap..." She mumbled as she stepped into the corridor, letting out a heavy yawn. It was hard to sleep with the fear of being caught looming over your head. "All this just t'report their status...Tsk, paranoid is an understatement."

She slowed to a stop outside of Orochimaru's study and knocked sharply, hearing movement inside abruptly afterward. When she stepped back and the door opened, she was surprised by who greeted her on the other side. Instead of the dark-haired Sannin she usually reported to, was the white-haired medic who happened to be his second-in-command. "Kaede, we expected you back last night, you're late." Kabuto started, already irritating her with his words.

"Heh, guess I just know how t'piss y'off without realizing, don't I, Specs?" She sneered, tugging on the strap of her rucksack to stop it sliding off her shoulder. "What're y'doing just standing around? Let me in so I can report to Orochimaru-sama."

"I'm afraid Orochimaru-sama is currently pre-occupied elsewhere." Kabuto pushed his glasses up his nose and crossed his arms, his eyes hidden from view. "I am here to take your report in his place, so proceed swiftly, I have matters waiting that require my full attention."

"You're pretty bossy for a brat," Kaede remarked, crossing her own arms as the two glared at each other. "Whatever, I checked out Konoha, like he wanted...They're rebuilding pretty quickly with Tsunade as the Hokage, and even managed t'keep the other nations from realizing they're short-staffed."

The young medic's eyes narrowed as he processed this information, Orochimaru would not be pleased with this report, the villainous shinobi had hoped that it would take Konoha far longer to recover from his attack, just to spite them for what they did to his arms. Now poor Kabuto had to be the one to break the news, terrific.

"Oh yeah, I was also spotted on my way out of the forest," Kaede added, only to roll her eyes when Kabuto's head tilted and his suspicious glare revealed itself, no longer hidden by the light bouncing off his frames. "Don't give me that look! I shook them off!"

"How can I be so sure? I wouldn't put it past you to lead them here in exchange for a pardon..."

"As much as I'd love t'get a slap on the wrist from Konoha." Kaede started, arching a brow as she planted her hand on her hip. "I doubt giving them our location would be enough to excuse me killing their Hokage...Just saying." She shrugged and waved off his skeptical expression as she turned and started walking away, towards her room. "Y'can hate me all y'like, but I ain't about t'risk my freedom for revenge I ain't even after anymore. I've given y'my report, so I'm going t'bed. Later, Specs!"

Kabuto watched her leave with a disgusted sneer, he hated her very being, but she had a point, there was no way a woman as self-centered as her would risk her own life for the sake of some long-forgotten revenge. With a sigh, Kabuto adjusted his glasses a second time and walked back into Orochimaru's study, closing the door behind him.

Meanwhile, Kaede was strolling through the hallways, excited to slip into her room and drop to sleep for a good few hours. However, on the way, she passed Orochimaru's room and froze when she realized his door was ajar. Remembering what had happened the last time she had noticed something like this, she grimaced and stepped towards it, grabbing the handle to close it so no one else would barge in and risk potential death.

Of course, life just seemed to hate Kaede.

Just as she was about to pull the door shut, another door in the room opened and the pale Sannin stepped out, only to freeze when the two locked eyes and silence passed between their shocked features. Orochimaru was almost completely naked, save the towel hung loosely around his waist, his hair was dripping wet and steam flooded the room from the hot shower he had just taken.

Emotions flickered in Orochimaru's eyes, anger, shock, even a trace of embarrassment and he finally spoke up. "What're you doing here?" He asked curtly, her response would choose his reaction for him, but for now, irritation seemed to be winning out.

Kaede's shock lasted a little longer than Orochimaru's, but once the situation finally clicked in her mind, her entire face just exploded with embarrassment and she glared at him like he'd walked in on her naked. "What're y'doing walking around like that! Ain't y'heard of clothes?!"

This dissolved his irritation and replaced it with geniune amusement, enjoying the fact that she could not look him dead in the eye like this. It seemed even she felt embarrassment, interesting. "I'd like to remind you that you are the one invading my space, not the other way around, Firecracker."

"I was closing your damn door, since y'left it open for anyone t'just walk inside!"

"Oh? Your kindness never ceases to amaze me at times like this~!"

Kaede's red face broke out in an angry snarl. "Don't y'get used to it, y'hear me?!" She snapped, slamming the door shut and storming down the hall to get away from his obnoxious attitude and naked body. While Orochimaru himself could only chuckle at her reaction, his temperature-sensitive flesh felt the change in body heat from his spot near the bathroom door and knew she felt more than just a little embarrassed at his lack of apparel.

His tongue slithered out of his mouth to lick the curve of his lip as his own body stirred in response. He knew she was no stranger to desire, and wanted to put her in more of these rather 'awkward' situations just to see how she would cope over a period of time.

His need to push for a reaction out of her was insatiable, to say the least.

Further down the hall, Kaede trudged into her room and slammed the door shut behind her, cursing sharply while leaning against the wall as she gripped her fringe tightly with one hand, trying to calm her pounding heart. She had no idea why she had reacted so strongly to his presence at that moment and dared not even think about what it could mean, as it sickened her to even consider having some form of physical attraction towards him.

'It was just the shock of the situation, that's all.' She thought, managing to convince herself just enough that she would not lose her mind to her paranoia.

How screwed up would she have to be to find that snake-eyed lunatic attractive? Her rationalized reason was the only thing that made sense!

Even then, the thought of his torso remained burned behind her eyes as she dropped on her bed to get some sleep.

~BHBL~

It had been a good week or two since the incident with Orochimaru, and Kaede was stood in the kitchen, stirring a pot of steaming curry as she decided to cook for herself rather than rely on her ready meals for a change. Even she would get sick of her favorite food if she ate it too much...Though she was still eating curry, even then. To anyone else, her mind would be an enigma, hell, it confused her most of the time, especially with the knowledge of her two different personality-based thought processes.

Kaede huffed out a soft laugh and smirked as she watched the chunks of beef swirl in the spicy sauce of her meal. Honestly, she had figured out a lot about herself while here. She found out revenge was a pointless endeavor, her powers exceeded the existing Uchiha clan's, and her village was nothing more than a backstabbing bunch of self-centered assholes.

Of course, Orochimaru was no different to them, except he usually made it apparent that he would stab you in the back to begin with.

At that thought, her mind wandered towards the deathly pale Sannin, remembering their last interaction and just how humiliating it had been for her. Barely anything had changed since then, but now that she knew what he looked like without a shirt on, she was starting to notice other things about his physique that never interested her beforehand.

Like the fact that he had a very subtle six-pack, and that there were scars over his body but they were barely visible due to the paleness of his skin.

Just that fact alone made him feel more like a man than he had before, more human, more alive than she had given him credit for. Because of that, she could feel her hatred for him lessening more and more, as it had done since he had first given her a reward, oh so long ago.

She scoffed at this thought and her smirk fell as she started glaring at her meal. Why did she always end up second-guessing herself whenever that psychotic shinobi entered her mind? Of course, she hated his very being, it was all she had left to remind her of his sins.

She would not let go of that last fragment of her old life, even if it killed her.

However, just remembering that he had done so many bad things, made her mind wander to the good things he had done as well. The time he returned her book, saved her life, praised her, hell, he had even given her money for her birthday! With a groan, she stopped stirring and pinched the bridge of her nose in an attempt to shoo away her own doubts.

Her stomach was twisting with hesitation, and unlike before when she could just shake it off and ignore it, the sensation remained and settled, as if making a home for itself deep in her gut. She sighed and distracted herself by focusing on her food, but the feeling was still there, deep down, whispering into her mind.

Eventually, she had finished the preparations and dumped some of the delicious meal into a small bowl already half-filled with fluffy white rice. Just as she picked up the serving and strolled across the room to sit down, the kitchen door opened and she looked up from her sitting position, only to click her tongue with a scowl at who walked inside.

Kabuto gave her an equally distasteful look as he closed the kitchen door and made his way over to the fridge to prepare his own meal. "There's some spare curry in the pot if you're hungry," Kaede said, pointing at the pot with the round edge of her spoon, before she tucked into her own meal, enjoying the homemade flavors.

"No thank you, I doubt I could trust you not to poison my portion the moment I turned my back." The young medic stated with a sharp tone as he pulled a carton of eggs out of the fridge and turned to the stove, lighting a match and igniting the gas cooker on the top.

"Hah, that's the pot calling the kettle black, right there!" She criticized, hunching over her bowl as she blew cold air onto the chunk of beef on her spoon, using a fork to scrape some rice into the mix. "At least my poison wouldn't lead to sick experiments! Ain't that right, Specs?" She shot the younger shinobi a sly grin.

Kabuto glanced at her over his shoulder, hating her tone, before he turned back to his work, cracking two eggs into a frying pan. "I doubt someone of your skills could pull off such a complex procedure to begin with."

"Oh, is that a dig at my intelligence?" Kaede asked, gripping her chest with mock offense. "Damn, Kabuto, don't hit me where it hurts!" She shook her head with a soft huff of laughter and ate another spoonful. "Who'd want t'be good at something like that anyway!"

"Orochimaru-sama is rather skilled in the field of experiments."

"What, y'jealous of him, or something?" She scoffed. "Y'ain't got much ambition if that's who y'strive t'be."

"Orochimaru-sama is more ambitious than the two of us combined," Kabuto said, flicking oil over his eggs to cook the yolks, before adding black pepper for seasoning and even a pinch of salt. "His mind and goals are what I admire most about him...Though, it still eludes me as to why he keeps you around, if I may be so bold."

Kaede's shoulders shook with her amusement and she leaned back in her chair. "Oh, I get it!" She stated, knowing just what to say to piss him off. "You're jealous 'cause your 'esteemed' leader comes t'me for help, instead of you!"

Suddenly, a hand slammed down on the table, and Kaede's grin widened as she and the young medic stared directly into the other's eyes as if their glares alone would kill the other. Now only separated by the wooden table between them. Though her words made his blood boil, what she said was true, Orochimaru had given her more missions as of late, and only came to Kabuto for assistance in his experimentations.

His status in Otogakure was slipping from his grasp.

"I don't understand Orochimaru-sama's fixation with you." Kabuto started, placing his plate down as Kaede hummed and finished her meal as if his towering presence meant nothing to her. "However, I doubt I have to tell you what will happen should you betray him a second time..."

"Heh, at this point, Specs..." Kaede stood up, plate in hand and got in his face. The two had yet another staring match for a second before she walked past him and dumped her empty bowl and utensils in the sink. "You're the only one left who still thinks I'd do that."

She then sauntered towards the door with a shit-eating grin on her face, waving playfully at her junior. "Have fun with the dishes, Kabuto~!" And with that, she left the room, laughing as she disappeared down the hall.

Kabuto's eyes narrowed, glaring at the open doorway as he thought over her cheeky words. Orochimaru had indeed favored her more over the past few months, and it was starting to show, even to the more foolish of their ranks. If this continued he dreaded to think of how far their 'friendship' would go and just how much of an influence Kaede would have of their esteemed leader's decisions in the future.

Especially since it was apparent that neither of them had noticed the changes, as of yet.

~BHBL~

"Put more force into your movements, your punches have no strength behind them!"

Another day, another sparring session for Kaede and Orochimaru. The two were stood in the training hall, yet again, and were ducking and weaving through each other's attacks, fighting back when they deemed it necessary. Kaede's skills with Taijutsu were now at a Chuunin level, but she was nowhere near powerful enough to improve further, therefore Orochimaru had made it their next goal to push her strength and endurance to the limits to make up for the weaknesses she currently had.

Kaede was sweating as she breathed heavily, having been training for the past two hours, nonstop. She had a fierce determination in her eyes as she swung another punch at the Sannin, only for him to catch her wrist and yank her in close, their noses nearly touching with the intimacy of the action. "I expect more from someone of your level. Is this all you're capable of?" He asked in a soft, disappointed hiss, and she sucked in a breath, yanking herself free and staggering back to put some distance between them.

"Shut up, I'm not done yet!" She rasped, wiping her forehead with her forearm before she kicked off towards him once again. Orochimaru blocked her next blow and jumped into the air when she ducked to sweep his leg out from under him. He then did a flip backward when said foot shot up to hit him in the chin. She was starting to slow down, exertion truly setting in now.

Non-stop combat would do that to anyone, even he was out of breath and sweating now, but nowhere near as badly as she was.

He straightened up as Kaede planted her hands on her hips, wheezing out heavy gasps as she watched him move his sweaty fringe away from his forehead. Though being caked in sweat was not attractive to most, the fluent movement of his hand tucking a strand of hair behind his ear was. Her body stirred in ways she did not understand, and while she was processing it, Orochimaru set off in a run towards her, surprising her with a sharp kick to the stomach.

She lurched forward with a gasp and felt his foot slam into the back of her head, causing her to lose her footing and fall to the ground, where she smashed her chin off the hard stone. A moment of silence passed as Kaede waited for the pain to stop, and just as she was starting to lift herself, Orochimaru spoke up. "That's enough for the time being, I have pushed your body to its limits, and any further would result in permanent damage."

Kaede kneeled there, glaring at the floor as she let out a soft curse. Orochimaru's frown deepened curiously at her reaction, expecting her to get up and act aloof, as usual. However, he was surprised when she stood up, grabbed her stuff and stormed out without another word. He had noticed her distraction at the end of their spar and took a second to analyze it before her reason for leaving became apparent.

Instead of getting annoyed that something so simple as tucking a lock of hair behind his ear would be enough to distract his strongest subordinate, his lips curled back with an amused, rather smug smirk. His gut swirled with a familiar sensation brought on by the knowledge of what his mere presence was beginning to do to her, and chuckled deeply.

Unlike Kaede, he had no intention to ignore his urges, in fact, he wanted to pursue them further, he wanted to make her squirm and watch her come undone beneath him. He licked his lips as the feeling intensified, eyes wide with manic desire as he stared at the corridor in which she vanished down.

He would play this little game, and tease her until she could no longer ignore her apparent needs. He would see who cracked first under the pressure and who came out the victor in this.

Though he doubted either side would lose in the end.


A/N: Thank you for reading, please review and let me know what you think! I appreciate every comment given to me and use them to strive for better chapters in the future!

Japanese = English

Katon: Taifū o Moyasu = Fire Release: Burning Typhoon

Futon: Senkai Hari Danmaku = Swirling Needle Barrage

Shunshin no Jutsu = Body Flicker Technique

Kage Bunshin no Jutsu = Shadow Clone Technique

Otogakure = Hidden Sound Village

Konohagakure = Hidden Leaf Village

Otokage = Sound Shadow

Hokage = Fire Shadow