Kabuto's words lingered in my head for the past week and it drove me crazy. Why was he so persistent on knowing whether I went to bed with my master or not? Did it matter?

I didn't want to bother Kisame with it since he seemed on edge lately as it is. More than usual but he wouldn't tell me why so I left him alone. I did try to get him to talk but he just avoided the subject.

At the present moment he was going through some papers as I stared broodingly at the ceiling on the couch. I was so bored and wanted to go outside but he said for me to wait until he was done. "Natsumi?"

I glanced over at him, "Yes?" "Go into my top dresser drawer and get me the small black notebook." "Ok."

I did as was told, curious to why he would have that with his clothes but when you think about it, who would go through his clothes.

Once I found it something caught my eye, it was a small photo frame hidden all the way in the back. I pulled it out and looked.

It was a picture of Kisame with his arm around a smaller man. Whoever this guy was very handsome. Shoulder length glossy black hair, dark eyes, flawless pale skin, and charming smile.

Kisame was grinning from ear to ear and actually looked happy, like he didn't have a care in the world. Smiling I went to my master and handed him the book and asked, "Hey Kisame, who's this?"

He glanced up and is gaze immediately grew deadly, "Where did you get that?" I frowned and pointed, "It was in your dresser drawer." "Why did you take it out?"

He stood up and towered over me angrily, "I..It was right there with your book and I saw it so….." He snatched the frame from me and slowly came towards me as I backed away. "Wh…What's wrong?"

He glanced at the picture and grunted, "You had no right to even look at this!" I cringed from his harsh tone completely terrified, "I..I don't….understand….. "

SMACK!

I fell to the floor in a crumbled heap sobbing from the sharp sting to my cheek. "Get out!" Clutching my cheek I tried to get a reason for why he slapped me, "Ma…Master. What did I do?"

"Just. Get. Out." Hanging my head I ran out of the room still crying and running down the corridor to who knows where. The only thing going through my mind was to get away from him and how confused I was.

*He plopped onto the bed, staring at the picture in his hands sadly, trying not to shed any tears. He bit his lip as he kept his hurt gaze on the raven, "Am I ever going to get over you?"

Someone knocked on the door and he quickly hid the picture under his pillow. "Come in." Zetsu sighed as he shut the door sitting on the couch with a sad frown , "Kisame, I just saw your slave crying her eyes out and running from this direction." "What happened?"

"It was nothing." "Just be honest with me, I know you're lying." The swordsman sighed and brought out the photo and handed it to his friend, "She saw this and asked me who that was and I lost control of my emotions again."

Zetsu observed it and gave his friend a sympathetic smile, "I see, but that doesn't mean for you to take your anger out on your slave." "She needs to know the truth about him." Kisame gripped his knees mumbling, "I know but….it's so hard to even think about him let alone talk."

The bipolar man patted the empty space next to him, "Come, there's something else I need to talk about as well to get off my shoulders." The swordsman took the spot and asked, "What is it?"

He man was blunt, "I know you loved Itachi more than anything." "I know exactly how you feel." "No you don't Zetsu, you can't possibly understand."

"Trust me I do, but I had it worse than you did with my first slave." "I'm going to tell you what happened when she died." Kisame's eyes went wide, "You are?"

"Yes, it's time I did and finally get this burden off my chest. I've held it in for so long and it's killing me but I'm telling you because you're my best friend and our past predicaments are similar."

"I'll make it short and sweet though, just so you can get the idea."

Kisame gave his whole undivided attention to his friend. This must be serious if he's willing to tell him such a taboo subject that happened over a year ago.

"I loved my slave; she was so alluring to me in every way. I was happy with her and she loved me as well…or so I thought." "I came home that night, tired and worn out from that ridiculous business meeting when I saw her on the floor."

Zetsu began to shake as is friend steadied him by the shoulder, "She was covered in blood and being a medic I went to her. Her wrists were slit and I tried to save her life but it was already too late so I wanted to remain by her side until the end. I loved her."

"It was what happened next that turned my stomach; her last words. She said she hated us with her very being, plotting the day when she could escape or die to do just that. It was all a fucking act since the start….so damn clever."

At this point he broke down in tears, burying his face in his hands as Kisame tried to comfort him as best as he could.

"She…She made me believe that she loved me all that time and I fell for it. My world tells me she couldn't stand me right before she dies! Why couldn't she have just kept her mouth shut and left me be with my own thoughts that she did return my feelings?"

Kisame was heartbroken that was the truth. No wonder he acted the way he did and didn't mention anything about it. "I wanted to die right then and there but that's a cowardly act. Now you see? Be thankful your incident didn't end up like mine!"

"I'm so sorry Zetsu, I had no clue you were suffering that much. If only I'd known I would've helped you more." His friend wiped his eyes, letting out a heavy sigh, "I want to believe me but you couldn't have done anything my friend. It was something I had to deal with myself."

"At least you did find Tobi…..well, he found you." A small smile formed on his sad countenance, "I at least had that to be thankful for. The boy was nothing like her, not a constant reminder for my heartache."

Kisame patted his back, "That's why you suggested for me to find another slave that was the exact opposite of Itachi." "Yes, plus I knew it would do you good."

Zetsu chuckled, "I still remember what Tobi did when he came to me. He latched onto me for dear life when the guards were chasing him, me of all people." Kisame smirked, "I remember that and if I remember correctly he asked you to save him from the mean dirty men."

"He may be childish but he's one of a kind." The green haired man smiled but turned serious to his friend, "Alright, now you know the truth so it's your turn."

Kisame bit his lip and nodded, "You won't let me get out of this will you?" "Not a chance. I want to know why you've been so touchy ever since what happened. There's more to it I know."

Kisame groaned but told him. "Like you, I loved my slave. Itachi was everything I wasn't: beautiful, intelligent, charming, and much more. Why those fools at the slave auction didn't know he was ill is beyond me but….he was slowly dying that whole time and I never knew until that last month."

He took some much needed breaths, "It was in the recovery room when I found out the truth about his feelings but like you, I wondered why he waited to tell me then. I can still picture his face, holding my hand gently and giving me an actual loving smile."

"The first, real emotion I've ever seen from him. Before he died he told me he did love me but didn't want me to worry about his impending doom, but I wish he had. I would've spent every single damn day with him until his time was up but no, he didn't want that."

Zetsu rested his hand on his friends back and urged him on.

"What bothered me so is why couldn't he have told me his feelings before? He could've given me that loving expression all the time but that damn pride of his! He never showed any kind of emotion or let on that he enjoyed anything aside from when we had sex but even then, he hid his emotions flawlessly until the very end. I loved him so much damn it and I never could tell if he did for me or not."

Zetsu nodded and whispered, "He did it for you Kisame and he didn't want you to suffer from worrying about him. Be thankful he did love you." "I know that but, that image has been imprinted on my mind and I suffered anyway."

"Cherish that smile and the fact he loved you Kisame, but now, you have someone else to tend to and she does need you." Kisame smirked, "Natsumi. I've been trying to cope with the past but I wound up taking my anger out on her when I never intended to."

Zetsu smiled, "It'll be alright, go find and apologize from whatever you did to her. Then tell her about Itachi, you don't have to get specific but at least she won't be in the dark and confused."

"How do you know that?"

He stood up, "She went to Tobi and told him about it, and then he came to me wondering what to do for her." "I told him you probably had a good reason not informing her about anything but you'll tell her when the time is right."

Kisame smirked and stood up, "Good advice as always Zetsu. Will you help me look for her?" "Sure."

*I was terrified beyond recognition still trying to escape, but the handcuffs were a huge problem. When I ran from Kisame's room I didn't get far when I was jerked into a room by Kabuto and his master, both tying me to the bed with sick grins.

I really wanted my master but couldn't call for help from the ball gag shoved into my mouth.

Orochimaru smirked at Kabuto, handing him something before mocking, "Try not to go overboard and keep her quiet Kabuto, we don't need a scene right now."

"With pleasure sir."

TBC: