Orochimaru leaned against the wall, bored out of his mind. He had already trained, broke several bones, had Kabuto heal them, then went right back out and broke more bones. After the lecture, Kabuto had released him on strict orders: not to train again until after tomorrow. Now, Orochimaru was bored, and he wanted nothing more than to train. And of course, Orochimaru was also feeling particularly rebellious today…

Several jounin passed him by, and all of them he asked to train with him. They all said yes, of course: training with Orochimaru was better than being on the wrong end of his temper. Orochimaru headed out when he counted six jounin, avoiding Kabuto as he snuck out to a back field.

Orochimaru was proving nasty and hard to deal with today: he was giving the jounin such a hard time that two of them almost died, and one just about gave up. Finally, the six of them managed to get a rope crudely around Orochimaru's wrists and drag him down-to an extent. Orochimaru truly went down fighting, and it took another hour to get him down for a full minute. Finally, Orochimaru admitted surrender, and two jounin took him across their shoulders and helped him walk back to the lair.

Kabuto met them halfway.

"Stupid, foolish, impudent, obstinate, ornery, disobedient, stupid, arrogant little child!"

One of the jounin grinned. "Whoa, a new record. I count ten insults strung together."

Orochimaru glared. "I am such a good position to kick you right now…"

The jounin shook his head. "My apologies, Orochimaru-sama."

Orochimaru sighed. "Kabuto, what is this about?"

Kabuto sighed in return and stepped closer to Orochimaru. "Come on," he coaxed, picking Orochimaru up. He just about received a kick to the head for his endeavors: apparently Orochimaru didn't appreciate being carried…

"Suck it up and deal," Kabuto sneered, tightening his grip on Orochimaru. "Oh, don't be difficult," he muttered. "I will chain you to the ceiling upside down, since clearly you enjoy being in that position!"'

Orochimaru snapped once more, but quieted shortly after.

"That's better," Kabuto sighed. "Now, just calm down, and you'll probably survive."

Orochimaru made no reply.

Kabuto wordlessly carried Orochimaru to a small room in the med ward, all the way at the end of the corridor and up several staircases. Finally, he pushed open a door and set Orochimaru down on the bed against the wall on the far side of the room, closing the door behind him. He backtracked to the door, and Orochimaru's heart picked up a bit when he heard the click of a lock.

"Kabuto-"

Kabuto approached him slowly, as if to make sure he knew what was going on. "Just calm down, alright?" Kabuto whispered, sitting next to Orochimaru. Orochimaru felt his heart jump to his throat; what was Kabuto doing…?

He almost screamed when he felt Kabuto's hand around his waist.

"Shhhhh, hush," he said quickly, pulling Orochimaru closer to him. Orochimaru couldn't find the strength to resist, and allowed Kabuto to tug him into his embrace. Kabuto's hands were gentle as they swept down his sides to untie his sash and brush it aside, sliding cool hands under his shirt and running back up his sides.

In which you could feel every rib.

Orochimaru jerked back the second he realized what Kabuto had done, and then just stared at his lover. Kabuto looked saddened when he stared back at Orochimaru, and his hand shifted to take Orochimaru's wrist in his hand.

"Orochimaru-sama, I need you to listen to me and answer my question as honestly as you humanly can," Kabuto whispered, tightening his grip on Orochimaru's wrist. "When was the last time you ate anything?"

Orochimaru looked down. "Yesterday," he murmured, looking away from Kabuto completely. Kabuto sighed and ran his free hand through his hair.

"Why?" he continued, staring Orochimaru in the face. Orochimaru's face flushed and he looked away again, but Kabuto caught his chin and made him look back at Kabuto. "Orochimaru-sama, I shouldn't have to even ask you this to begin with," he snarled, pulling his master even closer. Orochimaru recoiled, and Kabuto tightened his grip even more. "Answer me!"

Orochimaru exhaled slowly, clearly trying to control himself. Finally, he whispered, "The hand you clutch so tightly in your grasp holds the answer."

Kabuto was holding Orochimaru's left arm.

Gasping, Kabuto suddenly realized what had been going on. But just to be sure, he looked up at Orochimaru again. "Orochimaru-sama, I think I know what you're trying to say," he whispered, voice fast-paced with worry. "But just to be sure, tell me exactly what's been going on."

Orochimaru bit his lower lip until it bled, clearly not sure what to say. When he finally did speak, it was in a quiet voice that Kabuto had to strain to hear, even though he was right next to Orochimaru. "The arm…they're using it against me again," he whispered, "And it hurts…it really hurts. Too much to eat…so I trained a lot…I was hoping it would go away…or I could, at least, take my mind off it."

Kabuto sighed and released Orochimaru leaning forward and putting his face in his hands. "God, this is a mess," he muttered, swiping hair out of his face. Orochimaru shrank back, almost as if he wanted to get away from Kabuto. Kabuto himself wasn't sure if he was safe to be around anymore.

"Orochimaru-sama."

Orochimaru glanced at Kabuto, startled by the sudden words. "Hai?" he whispered, feeling hopeful. Maybe Kabuto had a way to deal with this…

"You're not safe anymore," Kabuto said softly. "I…I know this is going to be hard to accept but…maybe…we could go to the Akatsuki in peace…and not try to fight them this time…"

"Kabuto, no!" Orochimaru cried. He jumped forward, catching Kabuto's shoulders in his hands. "Don't even think like that! We can't submit to the likes of them, not even possible! How can you even think like that?!"

"We're not submitting," Kabuto said quickly. "Just going to them diplomatically instead of militarily…"

Orochimaru sighed. "Kabuto, we-I-can't…"

Kabuto shook his head. "It might be the only way…"

"Only way to do what?"

Orochimaru almost fainted at the voice from behind them.

Kabuto grabbed Orochimaru's wrist and took off, heading for the door. He had almost made it when he was met by a Konoha ANBU, and he found himself facedown on the floor, pushing Orochimaru out of the way, screaming at him to go-

Orochimaru hesitated for the barest instant.

Within seconds, five ANBU were on him, grabbing his arms and forcing him to the ground, falling on top of him to make sure he went down. Kabuto felt their entire world crumbling, and he felt the blood rushing through his veins. His heart beat fast, his breath came in rapid gasps-

Orochimaru moved.

Kabuto could hardly see it he moved so fast, but the ANBU saw it clearly enough-when it connected with their faces. Orochimaru swept the ANBU off, drawing Kusanji and striking out viciously. "Get away from him," he warned, turning on the ANBU who was currently in possession of Kabuto. The ANBU looked like he about to object…if he could. Orochimaru's sword was stuck firmly in his chest, and the blood was dripping down onto Kabuto. The medic shuddered and shoved the body off him, and Orochimaru repossessed his sword.

"Any other takers?" he snarled, brandishing Kusanji. He could hear Kabuto chewing a pill, and realized that he was using the chakra scalpel. He pressed his back to Orochimaru's, ready to defend Orochimaru with his life. "Orochimaru-sama, get out of here," he said softly, forming the beginning signs of his chakra scalpel. "If you get hurt, I couldn't live with myself."

Orochimaru shook his head. "Kabuto, I'm not leaving you," he said quietly. Kabuto could feel Orochimaru shivering against him; he might be frightened and nervous, but he didn't show it…Kabuto sighed and finished his chakra scalpel, calling his chakra to the surface of his hands.

"Well, I know there's no way on God's green Earth I'll get you to move, so I may as well accept fate and deal with it…"

Orochimaru nodded. "Exactly."

"And…"

"Go, you idiot!!"

"Thanks."

Kabuto leapt forward anyway, ignoring the insult and striking out at several of the few ANBU left standing. The arm that as raised to block Kabuto's strike was suddenly subjected to severed muscles and shredded ligaments, and Kabuto smirked with satisfaction. He knew he wouldn't get so lucky again; nevertheless, he wanted to savor it while it lasted. He struck out at the ANBU again and again, each time hitting him and tearing his body to shreds. Finally, Kabuto was able to cut his heart cleanly in half, and he let the ANBU drop to the floor, dead. He turned and blocked a punch from behind, making sure to tear apart the vital ligaments in the ANBU's wrist that enabled him to use his hands at all. Maneuvering around the ANBU's defenses weren't hard after that; Kabuto had disabled both of his hands by now and was rapidly slicing apart his arms. Kabuto found it fairly easy to get around the ANBU after that, hitting his chest and severing his heart chambers. Kabuto turned around, ready to defend Orochimaru.

A yelp of pain was torn from Orochimaru's throat.

Kabuto immediately spun around again, searching for Orochimaru. He found the sannin jammed into the wall, held by both hands and the back his neck, another pair of hips crushing his own into the wall. A body covered by black-and-red clouds held each part of Orochimaru, effectively restraining him. Kabuto gasped as he recognized a long black ponytail…

"Uchiha…" he growled, causing the said ninja to turn around, smirking. Kabuto took a step back from those piercing red eyes, questioning, "What is going on here? I thought Konoha was against Akatsuki, not with them!"

"We reached an agreement," Itachi said vaguely. He took a handful of Orochimaru's beautiful hair and shoved his head into the wall, extracting a small whimper of pain from his lips. Kabuto's own lips lifted in a feral snarl, and he started towards Itachi.

"Hey, hey, watch it," Kisame sneered, pulling out a kunai. This is he pressed to Orochimaru's pale neck, drawing a thin line of blood. "Wouldn't want my hand to slip now, would you?" he said sweetly, or, at least, as close as Kisame could get to it. He grinned, extracting a bit more blood.

"Stop!"

Itachi smirked. "Bind him," he instructed, slamming Orochimaru's head into the wall before he released him. Orochimaru gave a startled yip, suddenly jerking back and struggling to free himself. Kakuza immediately tightened his grip on Orochimaru's right wrist, throwing the sannin to the ground and pushing his foot into his lower back. Orochimaru yelped at the brutal treatment, and found himself with much more weight in his lower back. Hidan had seated himself there and was digging his fingers into the pressure points on the back of Orochimaru's neck. Orochimaru grunted at the pain, and suddenly felt his wrists being roughly yanked together behind his back. A sharp cod was wound around his wrists and pulled tight, leaving angry welts that almost immediately started to bleed.

"Should we blind him?" someone grunted. Orochimaru recognized the voice of Kakuza easily.

"Whatever makes him easier to handle," someone else replied. That was Hidan…

"Do everything you can," Sasori said smoothly. "He fights with more spirit than I do; it'll take quite a bit to force him to submit."

"Hm…" Kisame seemed to be turning this over in his mind. "We could use sharkskin."

Sasori raised an eyebrow. "Explain your logic?"

"It sucks chakra," he replied, adding a shrug and, "Hurts like all hell, too, if you're not me."

Itachi shrugged. "Go for it," he said. "We'll leave the other bindings, in case he breaks some, but worst case scenario, we just knock him out." He sighed. "Leader-sama said to be careful with him, so I'm hesitant to do so…even though it would spare us a lot of pain."

"Not to mention me," Orochimaru grunted. "Ignore me-! I'm just the snake being crushed to death in the room."

"Shut up, un," Deidara muttered, kicking Orochimaru in the side. Orochimaru grimaced at the pain and fell silent.

"Good boy," Itachi said sweetly. "Want a dead rat with that?"

"Okay, it died!" Orochimaru said. "And not just the rat! And as a matter of fact, yes, I would like something to eat."

Itachi sighed. "You are so lucky I have orders," he sneered. "Otherwise you would find yourself short a testicle."

"Female body!!"

"Short a boob!"

Orochimaru feel silent for a moment. "Does that hurt?"

Itachi sighed again. "Pervert," he muttered, folding his arms over his chest. "Whatever. Just get that sharkskin on him, I wanna get going."

Kabuto fell to his knees, shaking. He knew going against the Akatsuki would be suicide, and then there was no one who knew of their plight. Kabuto knew people had seen him take Orochimaru away, but they all wouldn't know about what they were doing, where they were headed-

"Kabuto, just stay here," Orochimaru whispered. "I'll be back, I swear," he continued. "But after a week, come after me, okay?"

Kabuto was stunned at Orochimaru's words. And even as they bound him, gagged him, and blindfolded him, Kabuto could see Orochimaru as free as ever, choosing the fights he fought and what he did with his life and sanity. He was waiting for the right opportunity: he was beginning to think, finally.

And after fifty-odd years, it was about time.

Kabuto could hear mutterings of, "Knock out the kid," and "Wipe his memory," but he paid them no heed. The only thing he could see was Orochimaru's wild spirit, bridled and broken under the terrible bindings. And as the first tear fell free, he felt a hand smash into the back of his neck.

And the world faded to black.

A/N: Well, it's longer, but I left you with a cliffy. Na-na!! Anyway, everybody review, or no next chapter!!