"Sasuke-sama?"
Orochimaru sounded so timid Sasuke wanted to laugh. Instead, he sent the former Otokage a hard glare. It had the desired effect; Orochimaru fell to his knees in a deep bow before Sasuke, trying to regain favor.
"I'm sorry Sasuke-sama, please forgive me-!"
"Shut up."
Orochimaru's mouth snapped shut, and Sasuke smirked. His little fuck was behaving perfectly…"Now, Akatsuki is coming tomorrow to sign a treaty and possibly make arrangements for an alliance. I want you on your best behavior; no crap like you pull sometimes. You probably won't be doing any dirty work tomorrow, so consider this my little present to you. And this."
Sasuke tossed Orochimaru a silken kimono, which the sannin caught from his knees. He glanced at Sasuke, searching for an explanation.
Sasuke glared in response, but gave Orochimaru a short explanation. "Wear it tomorrow."
Orochimaru glanced at the kimono, suddenly realizing how long it was. Probably to hide the bruises on my legs...but why couldn't I wear the pants then? Oh, right; then I would have to wear the fishnet shirt, and that's very revealing. In any other case, Sasuke would love it, but in this case, it's the opposite of what he wants...
Orochimaru nodded mutely, and Sasuke continued.
"I want you up early. Make sure everything is clean, the Sounds are up and dressed, and that Suigetsu will make himself scarce, except of course when I call him. He and Sasori have some bad blood, so if Sasori comes, I do not want Suigetsu anywhere near him. Got that?"
Orochimaru nodded again. Normally, Sasuke wouldn't tolerate his silence, but for some reason, he seemed to be in an insanely good mood today…
"And when everyone is up and dressed, come back here and wait for further instruction. The Sounds are all expected in my room, Kabuto included. By then, the Akatsuki should be arriving; you will let them in. Are we clear?"
Orochimaru nodded, and Sasuke sighed.
"When are you going to learn how to speak?"
Orochimaru blushed and ducked his head. This was when he simply couldn't speak. He was afraid to say the wrong thing, so he didn't say anything at all, for which he was further punished. He figured either way he was kicked, so it really didn't matter. Tayuya said to try, and at least he had a chance, no matter how small it was better than nothing.
"Apparently never," Sasuke grumbled. "Whatever. At least give me some indication that you're not a stupid beast?"
Orochimaru gave Sasuke a death-glare. He sure felt like a dumb beast-collared, leashed, and kicked…hm, fit every description of a dumb beast Orochimaru ever read.
Sasuke gave Orochimaru a firm kick to the jaw, relishing the cry of pain that tore from Orochimaru's throat. "I told you to behave," Sasuke snarled, "And this is exactly what I mean. No crap from you tomorrow, or you'll pay dearly for it!"
Orochimaru never believed it more.
OOOOOOOOO
The next morning, Orochimaru awoke a half an hour early, as Sasuke dictated. He made Sasuke breakfast and left it on the table: to sweeten his mood, hot breakfast for once. Fleeing the scene after drawing Sasuke's bath, he scurried down to the Suigetsu's room, warned him to stay away from Sasuke's room for the day, and then ran ove to the Sounds' room and hurriedly woke each.
"Oh, right…" Tayuya muttered as she wiped the spit off her chin. "Today's Akatsuki day…" she continued, words slightly slurred with sleep. "Anythin' in particular Sasuke wants…?"
Orochimaru sighed. "Well, I'd wear something nice, because that's what he told me to do…"
Tayuya nodded. "In which case, I better find something in my closet…" The kunoichi gave a long, drawn out yawn and stretched, squeezing her eyes shut as she did so. When she finished, she shook herself and stood up. "Alright, I'm up, go wake up everybody else…"
A firm slap was heard as Orochimaru brutally woke Sakon and Ukon, then cursing as Kidomaru reluctantly climbed out of bed. Jiroubou fell out of his bed just as Orochimaru went to wake him, waking himself up-and Kimimaro. The bone bender panicked as he woke up, then sighed and fell back against the pillows as he realized it was only Jiroubou. Several seconds later, he re-emerged from his bed, yawning and tired but up. Tayuya made it into the bathroom first, then Kimimaro took the other. Orochimaru sighed more cursing ensued, but went back upstairs to get dressed.
A white sash lay on top of the red kimono, folded neatly and laying on Sasuke's bed.
Orochimaru almost smiled and picked up the red satin, thin material swishing as he unfolded it and pulled it on, shrugging off the loose sweatpants he slept in. He tied the sash around his waist, noticing as he did so that the long sleeves were edged in white, almost flowering patterns. Orochimaru found a pair of decorative chopsticks underneath the kimono and sighed. He would have to put his hair up, then…
A hand on his shoulder startled Orochimaru.
Whipping around, he suddenly realized it was Sasuke and flushed bright red. Sasuke turned him around and immediately, Orochimaru began to tremble, fearing a blow. Sasuke had spanked him before; he would ouldn't put it past him to do so again now...
Instead, he felt a brush begin running through his hair.
Sasuke was brushing his hair, almost tenderly working out the knots and tangles. Orochimaru could feel Sasuke's touch growing gentler with every passing moment; he was falling into a rhythm with his strokes. When Sasuke finished brushing out Orochimaru's hair, he carefully pulled it back and began twisting it until the hair began to curl up on itself. Then, he twisted it up so it lay flat against Orochimaru's head and pinned it in place with the chopsticks. Finally, he turned Orochimaru around and pulled several strands of hair forward towards his face, letting the ponytail grow slightly loose.
"Beautiful," he murmured. "Simply beautiful…"
Orochimaru's eyes widened; after Sasuke being so nice, he fully expected a blow to fall, or for Sasuke to spit in his face, or kick him or-
Kiss him?!
Sasuke's lips barely brushed Orochimaru's, but they did, and Orochimaru was shocked. He had never imagined Sasuke could have such a gentle touch, especially for him…
Sasuke pulled away, smiling.
"And you're all mine."
When he left the room was really when Orochimaru was able to breathe, to regain his composure. He lifted one hand to brush away a strand of hair brushing at his neck, only to find that it wasn't a hair at all.
It was a necklace: a red ruby set in white gold.
Orochimaru sighed. What was Sasuke thinking? What was he playing at?
OOOOOOOOO
"No…no…no…"
Kimimaro sighed. "Tayuya, I'm known for being a bit more refined, even for a ninja, but this is ridiculous! Pick something to wear already!"
Tayuya sighed as she picked through her clothes. "No…no…no…no…"
Kimimaro groaned. "Why do I get the sinking feeling she wasn't even listening to me?"
"Because she wasn't," Jiroubou muttered.
"Shut up, fatass. Either that or help me pick something!"
"If it gets you out of here!" Sakon bellowed. "I'd pay an arm and a leg for you to get the hell out of here, because if I don't give it to you, Sasuke will take it by force if we're late, so let's go!"
"Found it!"
Tayuya had finally settled on a long, long blue kimono, patterned with light blue flowers and bordered with lavender. A light purple sash was pulled from the closet as well, and Tayuya pulled both on as quickly as she could. She carefully pushed a set of sapphire earrings into her ears and fastened a small gold bracelet around her wrist.
"Girls," Kidomaru muttered as Tayuya began pulling her hair back. She tied it with a lavender ribbon in a high ponytail and gently fluffed it out. He had chosen something like the Sound uniform; a tan robe not unlike Kimimaro's and black pants. The robe was tied with a thin red sash, and Kidomaru was still wearing his Sound headband. Kimimaro had put a cream-colored kimono on over a black shirt and pants and had on a red sash as well. Jiroubou had on just about the same thing as Kidomaru; the only difference was the color, and his was green. Finally, Sakon was wearing a gray-blue robe with a black sash; Ukon was wearing the same, although he had barely gotten out of Sakon's body to change…something for which Sakon and others repeatedly berated him for, but Ukon ignored.
"Okay, let's get going already!" Kimimaro exclaimed.
"Alright, alright," Tayuya grumbled as she ran after the rest of the Sounds. "I can only run so fast in a skirt!"
OOOOOOOOO
The Sounds got to Sasuke's room just in time. It was only a minute until they were officially "late" in Sasuke's book. As he opened the door to let them in, he scowled, but said nothing in regards to their near miss.
"Hey, where's Orochimaru?"
Tayuya had to fight to keep from adding the honorary suffix to Orochimaru's name, but she managed.
"I think he's in the bedroom," Sasuke said. "Last I saw, he was putting in earrings…by the way, Tayuya, you clean up very nicely."
Tayuya hoped her face would flush at the compliment; fortunately, it did. "Thanks," she said shyly, fluttering her eyelashes at Sasuke. The Uchiha smiled and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead, extracting a giggle from the kunoichi. Tayuya was sucking up, of course; she wanted to look cute for Sasuke so he would be nice to her.
"Girls," Sakon muttered.
"So hopeless," Jiroubou added.
"Ick; no comment," Kidomaru said. Kimimaro just shook his head.
"Alright, I'm going to find Orochimaru. He should have been done by now-"
Just as Sasuke said this, the door to Sasuke's bedroom opened, and out stepped Orochimaru.
Tayuya gaped. Her former master was simply stunning; the long kimono he was wearing almost reached the thin flip-flops he wore, swishing elegantly around his ankles, which were adorned with tiny chains and beads. The white-edged sleeves almost completely covered his small, slender hands, but the same white-edged color accenting the neck of the kimono did nothing to hide the pale column of Orochimaru's throat and the tiny necklace that clung to it. His hair was pulled back and secured with a pair of red chopsticks, red beads dangling off the ends, with several strands of hair hanging in his face. Golden layered earrings hung almost to his shoulders and were half-hidden by his hair.
Sakon let out an appreciative whistle.
"Nice…"
Sasuke smiled and brushed a stray piece of hair out of Orochimaru's face. "You look beautiful, love," he whispered, tipping Orochimaru's face up to his. "No, go," he said softly. "Find Kabuto, and tell him to get in here."
Orochimaru nodded and slipped away, a small pink on his cheeks. Sasuke turned back to the Sounds and said,
"Good; you all cleaned up for once. Actually, I'm impressed: I didn't know you had it in you. Anyway, Akatsuki will be here soon, and they said they would send four representatives to me to sign the contract. So, one of you to each Akatsuki, and Orochimaru will stay with me. The one person left will come with me as well, since I would like two people with me at all times. You will all be present for the signing of the contract, and you will sign as witnesses."
The Sounds all nodded their assent, and Sasuke turned back to the door. "Any second now…"
Kabuto and Orochimaru each bolted through the door at once. Kabuto was dressed like Orochimaru; a long kimono, black in color, and tied with a blue sash. The accents were blue, and Kabuto's hair was pulled back with a blue hair-tie. Sasuke thought he looked remarkable simple compared to everyone else in the room, but he had his own way of adding extravagance to what he was wearing.
"They're coming!"
A/N: Anybody who draws any one of these (especially Orochimaru) will get a free one-shot and make me a very happy fangirl!! Review please!