Orochimaru took a deep breath. He had the power position; he had proved his point. Pein should be listening to him at this point. Orochimaru leaned down, over Pein's slightly-twisted body, and asked, "Are you ready to try this again?"

Pein's only response was a growl of frustration. Orochimaru straightened, stepping back, and allowed him room to stand. "Nice of you to help me up," Pein commented dryly, brushing himself off. "And just for the record? The only reason you knocked me down was because I wasn't expecting such a bold move from such a weakling like you. I wasn't quite prepared to deal with a half-hearted kick from you."

"Are you ready now?" Orochimaru asked the question as if he was speaking to a troubled child.

"Pfft, yes," Pein replied flippantly. He crossed his arms over his chest, rolling his eyes, as if to prove a point.

Orochimaru moved like lightning; within the same breath, he was on top of Pein, wrestling the man to the ground and pinning his wrists next to his head. Pein looked up at Orochimaru, shock and shame both clearly written into his features. "Can we not tell anyone about his?" he muttered, glancing hurriedly back and forth, as if to check and see who was watching. Orochimaru offered a slight smirk, and then stood up.

"Only if don't pull something stupid like that again."

Pein sighed and stood up, brushing himself off again and glaring at Orochimaru. But, Orochimaru still caught the muttered words of consent under his breath: "Fine." The snake-man's smirk only grew wider, and he motioned Pein after him as he turned his back and walked away. Pein walked a bit more quickly to catch up, and then fell into step next to Orochimaru. Orochimaru took a quick glance sideways, as if to make sure that it was Pein walking next to him. Then, he returned to looking straight ahead, as if nothing was wrong. Pein couldn't help but stare: now he could see why Itachi wanted Orochimaru so badly. The snake's motion was as smooth as liquid copper; his grace and poise was that of a proud lion. He had hair that was as dark as the night itself that seemed to flow in an endless satin curtain over his shoulders. Although Orochimaru's body was obscured by the bulk of the Sound uniform, Pein knew from when Orochimaru walked around without his cloak in Akatsuki that he had quite the body. A half-fishnet shirt and shinobi pants really showed off one's body, for some strange reason...given that both items of clothing were all that Orochimaru ever wore, and both were extremely tight. Pein knew that, just from looking at Orochimaru now, that he was still the same. The rope belt around his waist was pulled tight enough for Pein to see Orochimaru's general figure; the pants, although loose, gave a hint that Orochimaru didn't even come close to filling them at all. So, he was still as slender and lithe as he had been back then…been keeping up his selection of bodies to the most perfect. And then maintaining those bodies? Orochimaru must look simply gorgeous under all that clothing…Pein could see him now: flat, toned stomach, slender, pale legs, dark hair tumbling over slim shoulders-Orochimaru must be stunning. Especially if Itachi was so interested in him…Pein might just have to ask Itachi for a slice of the prize. He could easily overpower Orochimaru-letting the snake have the smallest taste of self-confidence could prove so much fun to snatch back later on.

"Here, please."

Orochimaru stepped aside, holding open a door for Pein. The Akatsuki slipped through it, and Orochimaru followed Pein in. As the door swung closed, however, a purple-gloved hand caught it, opened it a bit more, and then its owner slid through. Kabuto…Pein sighed with annoyance. So, Orochimaru's favorite servant was here to put up a small token of resistance if Pein tried anything. Or maybe, he was just curious, and Orochimaru wasn't going to stop him. Either way, it would be child's play for Pein to deal with him.

"Kabuto, you don't have to be here."

Orochimaru was speaking to the little kid. Well, maybe not so little: he looked like he could be anywhere from sixteen two twenty-six. He was one of those people where it was impossible to now anything about them just by looking at them. Pein made himself busy by getting himself familiar with the room, while also listening to the two next to the door.

"Orochimaru-sama, I'd be much more comfortable if I were here," Kabuto insisted. "For safety reasons, and also, I would like to aid you in any way I can."

"I'm fine here, Kabuto," Orochimaru replied. One hand came up to rest on kabuto's shoulders; Orochimaru's eyes dropped to his hand, slid up with it, and then continued up to meet Kabuto's eyes. "Really. It's okay."

Kabuto exhaled slowly, only through his nostrils. His head turned away from Orochimaru's, and he seemed to be avoiding eye contact. His hand slowly came up to cover Orochimaru's, and Kabuto looked back at Orochimaru. "I'm staying," he said softly, wrapping his other arm around Orochimaru's waist. "And that's final."

Orochimaru sighed, resting his head on Kabuto's chest. "Fine," he finally consented, "But you're not putting much into this discussion, understood?"

Kabuto smirked and placed a small, swift kiss on Orochimaru's lips. His mouth and Orochimaru's barely made contact, but it was still as addicting as Kabuto's deeper, more sexual kisses. Orochimaru knew better than to ask for more; in front of Pein, it was not wise. Orochimaru instead stepped back, carefully separating himself from Kabuto and turning to face Pein. "He's staying," he said firmly, walking over to Pein.

The missing-nin seemed slightly amused by the prospect, but said nothing in regards to the matter. Instead, he sat down in one of the dozens of chairs lining a long, rectangular table in the room, the only furnishing in the room other than a few light fixtures. Orochimaru sat down at the head; Pein chose the seat to his left, and Kabuto sat down on Orochimaru's right. Pein was also amused by this; that the boy would go so far as to show his position over Pein by the seating arrangement! Orochimaru turned right to Pein, and immediately asked: "Now, what are you here for?"'

Pein glared at Orochimaru, as if to say, "Is that even a question?" But, he seemed to decide it was better to keep his mouth shut and his comments to himself, and instead settled for a sarcastic, but honest approach. "I came to discuss the complaints Itachi had been giving me."

Orochimaru sighed. "I told you, I have nothing that Itachi could ever have possessed. Now, if that's all you have to offer by way of explanation, please, leave."
Now, Pein's glare was scathing. "Orochimaru, I didn't finish. I have a reason of my own that I came here for. And I would appreciate it if you would cooperate with me."

Orochimaru shifted a small bit in his seat, and he found that his hands were itching to fall into his lap. It would look submissive, and much less threatening. Orochimaru suddenly felt paranoid about pissing off Pein-his venom had done absolutely nothing, it seemed, to the missing-nin. He couldn't fathom what had gone wrong, or what Pein had done. He ought to be writhing on the floor in agonizing pain right about now! Orochimaru sat quietly, waiting him out. He didn't want to hear the next statement, but at the same time, he was dreadfully curious as to Pein's demands.

"I want you to come back to Akatsuki."

Kabuto, who had been silent the entire time, abruptly fell into a coughing fit. Orochimaru turned around, concerned. Kabuto was bent over in half, one hand over his mouth, the other on the back of Orochimaru's chair, trying to hold himself up. Orochimaru sat for a moment while Kabuto recovered, looking mildly confused.

"Choked on my own spit," Kabuto muttered. "That's a shocker, right there. Anyway, I'm waiting for Orochimaru-sama's reaction before I kill you."

Pein smirked and leaned back in his chair, folding his hands and bracing them on his crossed legs. "Well, go on, Orochimaru," he said smoothly. "I'm waiting."

"Is that even a question?!" Orochimaru cried. "Can you be serious?! You are asking me to abandon my village, move in with a physcopath who rapes me whenever he damn well feels like it, and work to further someone else's goals without any frickin' regard to my own. Just who do you think you are?!"

"Someone you fear."

Pein didn't seem to move; he was at Orochimaru's throat like an angry dog. One hand wrapped around the snake's neck, and Orochimaru found himself slammed into a wall-across the room. As he tried to recover and fight back, Pein was on him again, lifting him high into the air by the neck once more. Orochimaru felt the air being choked from his lungs, and reached up to try to pull Pein off of him. But, it was in vain. Pein's fingers only tightened around Orochimaru's throat, and Orochimaru began clawing at Pein's arms, searching for something-anything-that would make Pein let him go. Kabuto started forward, kunai in one hand and chakra scalpel in the other. "Let him go!" he screamed, charging Pein rather recklessly. His only thought at the moment was to save Orochimaru. Pein closed his eyes, turning his head away from Kabuto and staring absently up at Orochimaru. "That little act outside was nothing more than a show, you know: something to convince your little lackies that you would be alright with me alone. I really wanted you alone, but this silver-haired brat is a sharp one. Feh...like it matters. I'll kill the brat, and you can watch! But then, where's the fn? You both are so pathetic," he proclaimed, and his hand suddenly opened. Orochimaru fell to the floor, coughing and heaving in gulps of air. Orochimaru knelt in front of Pein, one hand at his neck, trying to sooth the throbbing pain. Kabuto shoved his kunai back into its respectful pouch behind his hip, dispelling his chakra scalpel for the moment. "Orochimaru-sama!" he whispered, dropping to one knee next to his master and putting one hand on Orochimaru's back. His hand took on a new glow; this time, one of green, healing chakra. Orochimaru's coughing eased, and Kabuto set his other hand on Orochimaru's forearm. He glanced up long enough to glare at Pein, and then helped Orochimaru to his feet. "How dare you," Kabuto growled. "You walk in here, acting like you're that much better than everyone else, and then go and attack Orochimaru for no reason?! Who exactly do you think you are?!"

"Kabuto, stop," Orochimaru pleaded, "Don't make him any angrier than he already is-!"

"Orochimaru-sama-"

"No!" Orochimaru insisted. "Just…just stop, okay? Leave it."

Kabuto exhaled slowly, bowing his head in thought. He was torn between two decisions: the one that kept Pein happy, and the one that told Pein to buzz off. Finally, he reached a settlement: Orochimaru was his top priority, and he needed to keep him safe at all costs. "I understand," he finally said. "But don't think that I'm happy about it!"

Orochimaru nodded, and found his way to his seat again. "Pein, I don't care what you do to me, but I'm not going to comply with your wishes," Orochimaru said softly, keeping his eyes on the missing-nin as he, too, took his seat once more. "I simply can't go against everything I believe in; everything I stand for…" Orochimaru shook his head. "Not exactly my cup of tea, hanging out with Itachi, either."

Pein's eyes narrowed. "I wasn't planning on taking you by force," he mused, "but I guess I have to."

Kabuto shifted uneasily from his position behind Orochimaru. He wasn't sure what Pein's next move would be-a snake struck either blindingly fast or sinuously slow. Which would Pein choose? He didn't want him to move quickly, but slowly would probably mean that Pein had the time to do so, and then, circumstances were bad. Or, he was about to move quickly. It was ridiculous, this game Pein played. Kabuto couldn't stand it. He moved out from behind Orochimaru's chair to stand next to him, and one hand subconsciously sought out Orochimaru's. Orochimaru allowed him to take his hand, but did not make any move to accept it, or move back. Pein saw this, and suddenly knew how to make Orochimaru comply with him.

But he wasn't going to use it. It was too much fun forcing Orochimaru into whatever he wanted.

Pein stood up again, and Orochimaru jumped to his feet, obviously not trusting the missing-nin as far as he could throw him. His hand suddenly tightened around Kabuto's; he didn't want anything to happen to his new-found lover! Kabuto sensed this, but, unfortunately, so did Pein. The Ame-nin smirked, and continued his slow, agonizing circle around the two Sound ninja. Orochimaru stepped back, around the chair he had been sitting in up until now to stand closer to Kabuto.

"Pathetic."

With that single last word, Pein sprang forward, armed with a kunai and nothing more. He hurled the kunai at Kabuto, whose hand broke with Orochimaru's as he blocked the throw. Kabuto stepped forward, but it was too late. Pein's arm was already around Orochimaru's waist, and he threw him down with ease and strength. A firm kick sent Orochimaru flying, and Kabuto simply couldn't keep up. He tried, but Orochimaru hit the wall-

And then Pein did, as well.

A huge, gaping hole opened up in the middle of the wall, giving Pein an escape route. Kabuto leapt for the opening, chakra flying into his hands to form a deadly blue blade. But it was too late. Pein had already gotten to Orochimaru, and Kabuto was only halfway across the large room. Pein reached down, grabbed Orochimaru, and kept on pushing forward as he always had. Orochimaru's wrist was caught in Pein's grip; he threw all of his weight against Pein, balking like a spooking horse. Pein let out a growl of annoyance, and pulled harder on Orochimaru's arm. He moved his other hand up to a more stable position; he set his hand on Orochimaru's forearm, pulling even harder. Orochimaru stumbled under the nearly doubled force, and that was all Pein needed. He yanked Orochimaru forward, through the hole in the wall, and shoved the sannin ahead of him. Orochimaru fell to his knees, completely disoriented and off balance by now. Pein reached up, punching the wall above him as hard as he could. The rest of it came down, raining debris and dust on Kabuto's silver hair. Kabuto leapt back, trying to avoid the spray, and nearly got hit in the head with a huge chunk of concrete. A few coughs and desperate panting later, and the dust was just about cleared. Kabuto craned his neck, trying to see over the now-rather large pile of debris in the room.

Pein was gone. And with him, Orochimaru.

A/N: Whee. Chapter. Review, please?