Sakura's wide green eyes filled shone with tears. The tears clung to her thick black eyelashes and left wet trails down her face and into her lips. Her thin shoulders trembled slightly, and her hands clenched over her heart.

Oh, how he wanted her heart.

He wanted to be the one she cried for. He wanted those tears that never fell as she smiled sadly at their Team 7 photograph. Seeing her pain made his own chest ache, and he loved her. Kami, he loved her so much.

Sakura appeared to grit her teeth, and then she closed her eyes and said,

"You don't have to do this anymore, Naruto. We have to give up on Sasuke. He doesn't want us anymore. This obsession we have with finding him…It's sick. We have to stop."

Naruto stared at her, and she cried harder. It took so much out of her to say that, to admit that Sasuke was never coming back.

Naruto couldn't believe that. Sasuke was their best friend. In the last fight with Sasuke, he once again wasn't killed. Surely Sasuke felt something.

Surely he loved Naruto as much as Naruto loved him.

Sasuke was one of his precious people. He wouldn't allow him to be manipulated and cursed by the pain he had held onto since he was a child. Naruto knew about Itachi, and he knew how much Sasuke suffered. He knew that Sasuke was holding on to the hate toward his brother.

Naruto knew he could save him. He would kill Itachi himself if it would bring his best friend back.

"Sakura, I know it seems bleak, but—"

"SHUT UP NARUTO! Just stop! You know it as well as I! You can't save everyone!"

Anger built in his chest.

"If I can't save one friend, then I'm the lowest of the low. I wouldn't be fit to be Hokage or happy enough to show my face around this village if I didn't save him. He needs us, Sakura. I can't give up on him."

Sakura screamed in frustration.

"I LOVE HIM TOO NARUTO! I WANT HIM BACK MORE THAN ANYTHING IN THE WORLD! He's not coming back! He will get his revenge and then Orochimaru will take his body! Just fucking STOP! It's useless!"

All of the love that Naruto felt for her was shadowed by his anger.

"YOU'RE THE ONE WHO MADE ME PROMISE!"

Naruto shook, his hands clenching hard.

"I NEVER GO BACK ON MY PROMISES!"

"Naruto Uzumaki, I forbid you from hunting Sasuke any longer."

Naruto whipped his head around to sneer at Tsunade, who was staring at him with cold sternness.

"Like your rules could ever stop me."

"If you leave this village, then you will become a Missing Nin. You will no longer be a part of this community. You will be a criminal."

Naruto couldn't believe Tsunade would do this to him. She stared at him with unwavering calm, her eyes locked on his. All the anger he felt toward Sakura and Tsunade welled up inside of him, and he hated feeling like this. Betrayal stung at his eyes and tears threatened to fall.

"I guess I'm never going to be Hokage then, huh."

Tsunade's eyes widened as Naruto turned, and using the fox's chakra, disappeared from her office.

It was the first time that Naruto had ever contemplated suicide. He usually passed over it immediately in his mind. If I die now, I'll never be Hokage! If I die now, I'll never get to marry Sakura and have kids! If I die now, I'll never save Sasuke!

All of the things that used to be important to him seemed so far away and meaningless. Sasuke truly didn't care about him. He even tried to kill him. He hurt him so badly the Kyuubi still wouldn't let him see the memory of what had actually happened.

Sakura loved Sasuke. Naruto was almost glad. She deserved him if she still cared about him after everything he had done. Naruto had given everything to her, and she didn't care enough about him to even try.

Konohagakure had abandoned him, and so had his dreams of becoming Hokage. His precious people hadn't even come to save him. Kakashi had given up on Sasuke just like the others.

Sure, Iruka would be sad. Sure, Jiraiya would be disappointed in him.

But really, did that matter anymore? He was trapped in Orochimaru's hideout. He might never see them again.

Naruto heard footsteps echoing in through the training room. He didn't lift his head in acknowledgment.

"Naruto. I've brought you some food and medicine. I need to heal your wounds from the chains," Kabuto said gently. He was the man who had feigned friendship with him all this time, the man who had nearly killed him by stopping his heart with his medical ninjutsu.

He had probably poisoned the food.

Suddenly, a tray was placed into his lap. He was forced to stare down at it, since he refused to life his head. It was a tray with a large bowl of ramen and a glass of water. Beside it was a bottle of green liquid medicine.

For some reason, the kind gesture made tears build in his eyes. His shoulders shook, and he covered his face with his hands.

Kabuto pulled the tray away and sat beside him. Naruto could hear him breathing deeply. The Kyuubi could smell his guilt.

"Do you remember what you told me on your second day here, Naruto?"

Naruto jerked a bit in reply, his shoulders still shaking. Kabuto had brought him ramen.

"You told me that you would rather be happy, because you would never get anything done if you were sad all of the time. What happened to that?"

Naruto finally looked up, staring at the silver-haired man with teary disbelief.

"I came here looking for my best friend after being exiled from my village. He nearly killed me and wiped out my memories. For months, I stayed here in the mind of a child being raped by the most wanted S-ranked criminal in Konoha. I haven't got any happiness anymore."

Instead of being speechless, like Naruto had hoped, Kabuto snorted. Naruto wanted to kill him.

"You're Naruto Uzumaki. You grew up without parents. You became stronger to save your best friend. I say this regretfully; you have more spirit than any other ninja I have come across. A few minor setbacks shouldn't stop you."

Wow.

"Why do you even care? You're insane! You're in this for power! You're probably manipulating me right now…"

Kabuto pounced, causing Naruto to bang his head and back against the wall to avoid their noses being crushed together. He gripped Naruto's wrists tightly in both hands, and he leaned in close for emphasis.

"I care because you made me. I would never in a million years have helped one of Orochimaru's slaves. I didn't used to care at all. But you, Naruto. I care about you. And believe it or not, I think Orochimaru might too. I don't want to see him hurt you. If he gets tired of you, he will give you to the Akatsuki, and they will kill you."

Naruto was absolutely stunned. Kabuto cared about him. Kabuto had made him ramen. Kabuto had been there every day to check on him.

"You…You're not lying? You really want to help me?"

Kabuto rolled his eyes exasperatedly.

"Oh, for Kami's sake Naruto. I'm not usually one to spout my feelings like this, but yes."

He leaned even closer. Naruto could feel his breath against his lips. The silver-haired man's dark eyes were intent on his.

"If you are thinking about kissing me, I suggest you put that thought right from your head."

"Hmm. I know, Orochimaru would skin us both alive," He murmured in an extremely deep voice. "I think I'm going to do it anyway."

Naruto let him, since he was not only pinned to the wall, but also chained there. Kabuto's soft thin lips pressed against his. Naruto sighed through his nose, as it was quite nice to feel close to someone again. Kabuto's long fingers stroked over his chin, and his lips parted to deepen the kiss. Naruto hesitantly kissed back, but he found himself unable to close his eyes and enjoy it. The threat of Orochimaru constantly hung over his head. Even as Kabuto's fingers buried themselves in his hair and stroked soothingly over his cheeks, his eyes kept glancing at the door.

Kabuto pulled back after only a minute of kissing. He smirked at Naruto, who gazed back at him wearily.

"I'm not sure how I feel about that…"

Kabuto smirked wider at this.

"You'll have plenty of time to think about it and wonder why I did it. Now, hurry up and eat. Orochimaru-sama requested that I bring you to his room after you're finished."

The second Orochimaru tried to touch him; Naruto would bite his fingers off.

Naruto was feeling terribly guilty by the time Orochimaru retired to his room.

He couldn't help but remember how kind Orochimaru had been to him throughout his imprisonment. He hadn't really given him any reason to be cruel, not until now. Now, Naruto's hands were sweating, and his teeth kept chewing his lips in anxiety. He had let Kabuto kiss him. Orochimaru had no need to manipulate him anymore with kindness, not with Naruto's memories returned. Naruto was definitely scared, especially since the chains he wore were constantly depleting his chakra.

"Naruto-kun. It's nice to see you so calm."

Naruto gave a pathetic sneer, but fear built in his chest when he saw the darkness in Orochimaru's gaze. The man took a seat at the end of the bed, and Naruto scrambled backward as quickly as he could without pulling off his limbs with the chains.

"Is there something you wish to tell me, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto kept a steady glare on his face, shook his head, and felt a chill in his chest.

He was terribly afraid.

"Really? There's nothing? No reason for me to be angry right now?"

Naruto couldn't move. He should have bit Kabuto. He should have struggled and screamed, but he couldn't! Kabuto had been the only person who had been nice to him! He hadn't wanted to offend him…He hadn't wanted to lose his only ally…

Orochimaru was the one who told him that it didn't matter. It was his fault.

"I—I—…Kabuto kissed me," Naruto said very quietly.

A terrible smile grew on Orochimaru's face.

"Now, why would he do that? Did you give him permission? Kabuto wouldn't do something like that against your will."

Naruto took a deep, shuddering breath. Orochimaru's eyes were glinting in a way that killed any bravado he had left in him.

"I-I let him, but only because I didn't want him to hate me.

Orochimaru shifted, and rose from the bed. He took careful, measured steps over to where Naruto trembled.

"You see, the problem with that is, Naruto, is that you are mine." As he said this, a great white snake, barely visible against the pale sheets, slid toward Naruto.

"You will have to be punished."

The snake reached Naruto's bare foot, paused, and then struck with deadly accuracy right into his bound Achilles tendon.

Naruto heard screaming, a piercing noise that made him want to cover his ears. When his vision focused, he realized the sound was coming from him. His leg trembled as a burning sensation traveled upward.

"Wha-wha—" Naruto cut himself off with a scream as the same snake struck his other leg, right below his knee.

His body trembled, his hands tugging futilely on the chains.

"Do you know why I have to do this, Naruto?"

Naruto screamed again, but this time Orochimaru himself had bitten him.

Right on the neck.

He remembered Sasuke during the Chuunin exams, and he wondered if the same thing was happening to him now.

"Answer me."

He pressed his fingers cruelly against the bite marks, filling Naruto with blinding pain once more.

"I—" he broke off into sobs. He wasn't supposed to be this weak. He wasn't supposed to let this man control him.

He decided his life was more important than his ego, so he began sputtering apologies. The more he said it, the more his voice contracted in pain.

"I'm so sorry Orochimaru-sama, I'm sorry, please stop, it hurts, please I'm sorry oh kami—" he sobbed, his head lolling to the side to bury itself in the sheets.

"Shh, shh," Orochimaru murmured. He stroked a hand through Naruto's hair, and the chains disappeared. Naruto felt disconnected from his body. He looked down at his legs, and saw black markings spreading up them. He was too exhausted to panic, but he stared at them inquisitively.

"It's a seal, similar to the one I placed on Sasuke, but much more—" He chuckled, "—binding."

Orochimaru crawled onto the bed, wrapping an arm around the exhausted Jinchuuriki. Naruto buried his face in the putridly pale neck, and almost immediately

succumbed to the darkness of sleep.

A/N:

T_T
I feel so bad about doing this to Naruto!

I know Orochimaru isn't a good guy…like at all…

He is severely unlikable.

And OMG thank you for your kind reviews. I swear to god I have read every single one of them. I'm just really socially retarded and can't reply to any of them. XD

I was really debating on whether or not to leave the Kabuto kissing scene in. But I guess Kabuto really wanted to, because I couldn't think of any other way. WHO WOULDN'T IF GIVEN THE CHANCE, LIEK SRSLY. ;D

Anyway…Yeah, Sakura is a bitch.

I think I'm going to do a rant about her.

1. She pines after Sasuke, who is a douche canoe.

2. Naruto loves her, would die for her, and is as sweet as can be. She repays him with bitchy and abusive behavior.

3. She is completely useless when they go on missions. I think the only useful thing she did was kill Sasori, but even that pissed me off because he is SO out of her league and he LET her.

/I apologize for the insanely long author's note/

-Marching Clocks