Sasuke's Point of view
I woke up feeling amazing. It didn't feel like I had gotten into a fight with my best friend only hours before. I turned my head to see a girl rinse out a cloth. She made her way back towards me and I pretended to still be asleep until she was hovering over me.
I grabbed her arm forcing her to stop. I saw her winch at my strength and felt a little smug. She slowly raised her eyes to me and I had to hide the shock of looking into them.
The green color around her irises reminded me of the green hills I would play on as a little boy, my older brother never far behind. The darker green around the edges reminded me of the training grounds that became my home after my clan was annihilated. Bile rose in the back of my throat at the memories. I tightened my grip on her arm.
"What the heck do you think you're doing?" I asked her. She tried to pry her arm away but I wouldn't let go. I needed to know what the heck was going on.
"I was just healing your injuries now let go," she snapped at me.
She was the one who healed me? She had to be lying. No one of her low skill level could. I would need a trained medical ninja for that; like Kabuto. I released her arm and I could already see the bruise forming an outline of where my fingers had been. I ignored the slight guilt I felt.
"Aren't you going to heal yourself?" I asked, testing her.
"I can't. My jutsu doesn't work on me." she replied quietly, providing the proof that she had lied to me before. Every medical ninja could heal their injuries. It was a part of the basics they had to know. The girl jumped when the wall outside her room was struck. A loud voice caught my attention.
"But why didn't you tell me that she was a girl! Or about what she could do?" someone yelled clearly furious.
"Because I know for a fact that she's more powerful than you and that you'd do anything in your power to kill her and I need her. She's a powerful asset to me." I watched the girls face carefully; she seemed surprised by what she heard.
"Hn." I grunted. I pulled out a kunai and held it to her neck. "You might just be the bargaining chip I need." I wrapped my arm around her waist and held her to me, waiting for the people outside to come in.
Kabuto stormed into the room followed by Orochimaru. I kept my face blank and my grip firm on the girl. I might be 'safe' now but still didn't trust either one of them. I wanted them to know that I wasn't someone to mess with.
Orochimaru surveyed the scene. This was the man I came to find. He has the power I want. "Ah Sasuke it's so good to see you awake. You gave us quite a scare for a minute. Thankfully Nalia is a skilled medical ninja." Orochimaru was backing up the girl's story about healing me. His voice was the one that haunted my dreams of killing Itachi.
"Hn." My heart was beating fast in the tense situation. I couldn't tell if they took me seriously or not. It was tense for a few seconds before Orochimaru started laughing. The sound ran chills up my spine.
"What are you doing Sasuke-kun?" He eyed the kunai at Nalia's throat. I shrugged and shoved Nalia away from me. Now was the time to start digging for my answers.
"So what is she?" I asked pointing to Nalia. "Another one of your experiments?" I know I am—or at least am going to be—an experiment of power. Although I was bitter about the power having to come from something else other than my own strength, I was content. One more step closer to killing Itachi.
"No, no. She's something much more interesting. I rescued her from her village when she was six and brought her up here. You could say that I'm a father figure to her." If I didn't know better, I would have thought Orochimaru felt tender towards Nalia.
"Is she really more powerful than Kabuto?" I had to ask. Kabuto has always been a proud of his skills. A smirk twitched at my lips when Kabuto threw me a dirty look.
"Ah so you heard that part of our conversation. All will be explained in due time." And with that Kabuto and Orochimaru left. I heard the sound of a lock being clicked into place and. Nalia dropped her head into her hands.
I didn't say a word as I leaned against the wall, but I stared at the back of her head wondering what she could do. Finally she glanced at me.
"Might as well make yourself comfortable. I have no idea when they are coming back." She moved from bed to a tiny dresser in the corner and pulled out a night gown. I ignored her as she went into the bathroom.
When she came out I hadn't moved from my spot on the wall. "What are you doing?" I asked.
"Getting ready for bed. I don't care what time it is, healing you all but killed me and I need my sleep." She crawled into bed and was out in seconds.
I don't know how long I stood there watching her but soon drowsiness began to set in. I thought about sleeping on the ground but that sounded as appealing as going to that stupid ramen shop with Naruto.
Making a rash decision, I moved the covers back, silently slipping underneath them. I turned my back to Nalia and closed my eyes. She would never know as long as I woke up before her in the morning.
Nalia's Point of View
I woke up and for once I wasn't cold. I raised my hand to my forehead to see if I had a fever but I didn't. I sat up but could only move a few inches. A vice like grip was holding me down to the bed.
I started to panic thinking Kabuto had come into my room in the middle of the night and was now doing some freaky experiment on me. He already didn't like me. I can only imagine how much that dislike has grown.
When my mind began working properly I realized that it was an arm that was keeping me in place against a warm chest. What was going on right now? Kabuto hated me so there's no way he would lower himself to sleep in my dingy room. That could only leave one other person.
I looked over at my shoulder to confirm my suspicions. Sasuke was sleeping in my bed with me, all the defenseless from before washed away from his face. I remember telling him to make himself comfy but that wasn't an invitation to sleep in my bed. Let alone while I was in it.
I tried to move and squirm hoping to wake Sasuke but no such luck. His breathing came and went in an even rhythm that was luring me back to sleep. The heat against my back was a welcoming comfort. He groaned as if waking up. Instead of losing his grip, he pulled me in closer to his chest. Sasuke buried his head into my shoulder and I shivered as his breath hit my bare shoulder.
It wasn't uncomfortable, being in his arms but I wasn't accustomed to the feelings that came with it. Butterflies were doing dances in my stomach and everywhere Sasuke touched me seemed to be on fire. Even if Sasuke was only doing it subconsciously, I had never been embraced before by someone. I had finally relaxed again into his grip when my door was flung open.
"Well, well what do we have here?" a cold, malicious voice asked from my doorway.
Nalia's Point of View
I sat up pushing Sasuke's arm off of me. I didn't reply to Kabuto's question. He didn't need an explanation. Kabuto would think what he wanted no matter what I said. Learning I'm a girl doesn't change years of how he's been treating me.
Kabuto glared at me and then Sasuke who, although slightly confused, glared back. "Get ready Nalia. We're going to train."
"Train?" I asked my whipping around so I could stare at him incredulously. "Orochimaru has never let me train before. I don't even know how to properly fight." Fighting scared me. And I most certainly didn't want Kabuto being the one who trained me.
"Don't be stupid. Every ninja knows how to fight now get dressed." And with that he was gone locking the door again.
After a quick shower I wandered out into my room only to run into a solid wall of flesh. I fell over with Sasuke landing on top of me knocking the breath from my lungs.
"Watch where you're going." He snapped at me before getting up and going into the bathroom slamming the door.
"Jeez. What's his problem?" I mumbled.
I stood in front of my small dresser wondering what I should wear. Now that Kabuto knew I was a girl I could finally start dressing like one. Too bad I didn't have any girl clothes. After throwing on a black shirt and pair of pants I rummaged through my dresser hoping to find something to tie my hair back with.
Again my door flew open with no warning. I glared at Kabuto. "You know it's polite to knock. I could have been naked."
I instantly regretted my words for the weird look was back in Kabuto's eyes. "Don't flatter yourself. Let's get going."
I followed him down several long corridors before he came to a stop in front of a door. He knocked on it and entered gesturing for me to follow.
Orochimaru was sitting at a desk looking over some papers. I looked around the room that served as his office. It was pretty spacious. All four walls were a dark maroon color. Book cases lined one self and a door was set in the back wall but other than that the room was completely bare.
"Ah Nalia so good to see you again," Orochimaru said. "Kabuto you may leave us now."
"But Lord Oroch-" Kabuto started to complain but Orochimaru cut him off.
"No buts Kabuto. Now go get Sasuke and examine his mark and perform the usual tests. When you're done with that you may return."