Disclaimer: Not mine. No sue for you. -.-
Ghost of Love: Chapter Seven
Cool air pressed against Sakura's skin, bringing on another wave of involuntary shuddering as her muscles clenched in protest. She could feel the immense power filling her pathways, growing with every second, expanding against the prison of her body. The silver band that encircled her wrist was writhing, as though fighting to keep the Matsumori chakra under control. It seemed the harder it fought against the foreign energy, the warmer the band grew, and the more it liquefied against her skin, spreading until it formed a thin, malleable film. She watched the progress of the band with fascinated, and worried, eyes. I wonder why it's doing that…? She glanced up at Orochimaru questioningly.
The snake sannin was staring at the molten band with an unreadable gaze. He ignored her curious look and reached out to touch the silvery circle. The moment his fingers came into contact with it the writhing ceased and it cooled, hardening back into its previous shape. Sakura let out a shaky breath, only realising now just how uncomfortably hot the metal had been growing. She observed Orochimaru's reaction carefully.
"…strange," he murmured, not removing his hand from her wrist. After a moment of thought, his face cleared and he closed long, slender fingers around her arm, pulling her towards him none too gently. Sakura resisted, leaning back on her haunches and tugging in a vain attempt to release her arm from his grip, but was rewarded only with unyielding strength. She glared at Orochimaru petulantly, eliciting an exasperated eye roll from the dark rogue ninja followed by a rough pull that sent her sprawling forwards into his lap. Sakura squeaked and sat up quickly, shuffling back to put a little distance between them. She was stopped from going too far by a sharp tug on her wrist.
"Don't make me repeat that little performance, my dear," the amusement in his lilting voice was clear, as was the warning behind it.
Sakura swallowed heavily and nodded, ceasing her efforts to back away from the kneeling snake sannin. She was very aware of her knees touching his and the warmth of his hand on the cold skin of her arm. What's he going to do now?
The pink-haired kunoichi flinched as gentle, but insistent, fingers gripped her chin and forced her to her look up. Green-gold eyes caught hers, snaring her in a thorn and honey trap. Her head became heavy and her body lethargic as pain was relegated to a distant memory under the influence of the snake's mesmerising gaze. Warmth spread through her, soothing away the hurt of her failure to save Sasuke and the ice and fire burn of the foreign power. "My dear… are you aware of your chakra?"
"…yes. A little."
"Focus on it, until you can feel nothing else. When you can do this, draw it out into your hands and then past the barrier of your flesh."
…focus.
The fingers dropped from her chin and she felt warm, slightly calloused hands skim lightly down her arms, coming to rest against her knuckles. He lifted her hands and placed them on top of his palms so that her fingers rested against the underside of his wrists. Sakura shivered apprehensively and her eyes flickered down.
"Look at me, little one. You must look into my eyes."
Sakura reluctantly dragged her gaze back up to meet his.
"Once you begin you must not look away."
The pink-haired kunoichi nodded slowly and concentrated all of her thoughts inward, on the pulsing network of chakra that crisscrossed her body. The pain was numbed once again, her mind enveloped in a heavy shroud of heated comfort. She narrowed her focus until all she could feel was the sensationless beat of power and all she could see was warm, inviting gold.
"Are you ready to begin, little one?"
His voice echoed along the same wavelength as her chakra, rasping and rough, a presence that thrummed through her veins, sending a delicious shiver up her spine. Sakura's throat locked and her body became utterly immobile, paralysed by the hypnotic stare of the snake sannin. Given no other option she responded to his question by sending a pulse of chakra into her fingertips, the power burning in icy-scalding marks against his wrists.
"Good. Now do that again, but don't hold back. Not just a pulse this time, but a stream."
Sakura shivered again at the strange sensation of his voice echoing and vibrating in the cavern of her chest, unsure if it was uncomfortable or pleasant. These thoughts drained away with the last echo of his voice and she returned her mind to the task at hand. It had been easy to send a pulse of chakra through her fingers and into Orochimaru, so she did it again, this time trying to maintain a steady flow of energy rather than just a short burst. She felt more than heard the snake sannin's sharp gasp, and the grip of his fingers around her wrists, holding her hands in place. Her concentration faltered, the strong current of chakra stuttering.
"Keep… going."
His voice felt rough and jagged this time, catching on her insides like tiny hooks and thorns. Sakura fought against the urge to shut her eyes and break the connection. This was obviously painful for him, though she herself felt only intense relief as the overflow of foreign energy poured out of her body and into his. Her hands twitched reflexively and pressed harder against his wrists, trying to hold the connection even though every part of her was screaming to stop. It's hurting him… but he said to keep going. What do I do…?
"Keep going, you silly girl!"
That was all she needed to hear, his derision sufficiently overriding any concern she might have been feeling for him. Fine then. She intensified the flow, sending wave after wave of cold-burning energy out through her now aching fingertips and into him. Her hands began to hurt in earnest, unused to being used as conduits for such immense power. Even her training as a medic-nin had not adequately prepared her for such an overload of energy being forced through her fingers. Her mouth twisted in a pained, but determined, grimace and she flattened her palms against his, trying to ease the burn.
Finally… "Enough."
The warm, all-encompassing gold disappeared from her view, severing the connection, and the heavy, comforting shroud lifted from her body and mind. Sakura closed her eyes to the world, trying to ignore her body's protests at the sudden return of reality and all its aches and pains.
Owww…
AN: I'm not really happy with this one, but it was being such a douche that I just had to stop redoing it and post the freaking thing or I would never get anywhere with it. -.- Anyway, let me know what you think or if you find any errors/inconsistencies. Thankyou! *hands out leftover gingerbread men*