So I'm here with another special occasion update. Today, eleven years ago, is the day my girlfriend lost her brother. It's a hard time for her, so I thought I'd update this to make her feel better.

Well, I've been going to open interviews, applying, etc. I really hate job hunting. It's such a pain in the ass. *sigh*

Chappie Twenty-seven hath been completed. Hopefully, twenty-eight will be started on soon.

Also, I'm sure y'all noticed, but I have changed my username :D. Y'all like it?

Oh, so Pippa and I are going to write a few Naruto stories together. Some will be on her page and some will be on mine. We're in the planning/Rping stages right now. I'm not sure which one we'll be working on first. But Coiled (so far) is the only one where Oro and Naru get together. *pouts* Once we get ten chappies written out, we'll do opposite week updates of our stories. So more stories for everyone! Wheee!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Naruto Shippuden. This is just for fun, no profit will be made from this (and I don't want to either). This is purely for my and the entertainment of Naruto fans.

Dedication: To my beautiful, amazing, intelligent, girlfriend Phillipa (Shadow Spirit Dragon-wolf) for being there for me through not only my writing (both fanfiction and my original story) but real life in general. You have been my inspiration and my support through everything.

Warnings: Violence, explicit sexual conduct (no rape!) homosexual relationship, relationship with a large age gap, struggles with belonging, self-hatred, obsession, self-harm, self-experimentation, human experimentation, mental disorders, a dark view of the "afterlife", (bonding of) pain and isolation, self-worthlessness, and male pregnancy.

Pairings: OroNaru, cannon pairings (except, obviously, NaruHina).

Summary: Sometimes, the deepest scars are the ones no one can see, but in a world moving into the light even the oldest inner wounds can be seen

Enjoy! :)

Chapter Seven: Dripped

Naruto

I wake up and realize that Orochimaru isn't in the bed with me. I wonder where he went off to. He's moving around just fine. So why haven't I left yet? And better yet, why hasn't he demanded that I leave?

I find him in his lab. He's sitting in a chair, looking into some weird machine. He turns some knobs every so often. I watch as he removes a glass plate with something that looks like a blob then slides another plate of blob onto the machine.

"Is there a reason you're looking at blobs?"

"These "blobs" as you so equilentely put it, are helping me determine how these people died."

I frown. "Blobs can do that?"

"They're tissue samples."

"From people?"

He nods, looking up at me. "Tissue from the organs that failed from the people, yes."

"So that machine determines how they died?"

"It's a microscope. It allows me to see microscopic things in detail that I normally wouldn't be able to see. By applying certain dye to the samples, I'm able to determine what caused their deaths."

"And you know which dye does what?"

"Of course."

"So how do you know which dye to put on the tissue blob?"

"Well, I don't always know. I just eliminate what I know it's not."

"So what do you do after you've figured out how people died?"

"I prevent it from happening again. Medical ninja do a similar process."

I frown. "But you're not a medical ninja."

"No, but I'm a scientist," Orochimaru says, looking into the microscope again.

"And you like being a scientist?"

"Of course. It's a wonderful experience to have so many questions then be able to answer them with the scientific method. So many questions of this world have been answered with such method alone."

"The what now? You've lost me."

"It's a process where scientists have a question, form a hypothesis, do an experiment, record their data of their results, and eventually, reach a conclusion."

"So the people you've experimented on; you've used this method?"

"Of course. I've discovered many things with my experiments. Science is knowledge. Knowledge is power. I proved that during the war, did I not?"

"Well… I guess. I understand knowledge is important, but why do people have to die to gain this knowledge? How is it fair they have to be sacrificed?"

"You act as though I want these people to die. They die because something goes wrong. Their bodies can't handle whatever changes I've made-"

"Then don't you think it'd be wise to stop? If our bodies aren't meant to do something, then why force it?"

"To unlock the true potential of the human body. We have so much power we don't use. If we unlock it, we can save ourselves from death."

"Maybe for a bit, but we all eventually die."

"If you wish to suffer then that's on you."

"What is with you and thinking that people are suffering in death? I mean, if you really think that then shouldn't you be stopping death?"

"What do you think I'm doing? I need to figure out how to stop it and bring them back."

"Yet, you're killing people to do it."

"They die because they're not strong enough. It's not my fault they can't handle it."

I shake, clenching my fists. "You don't have the right-"

"I really don't care. Do you honestly think you coming in here and scolding me about right and wrong with make me change? Who's to say that I'm wrong and you're right? I haven't touched anyone from any villages even though I only promised not to mess with Konoha."

"But you're destroying everything I've worked so hard for!"

"I don't see how."

"Because people are going to want revenge!"

"Yeah? And your point?"

"That is my point! I'm tired of all this hatred and revenge! It gets no one anywhere!"

"I don't see why you're making such a big deal about it. No one's going to mess with you, so why the fuss?"

"Because they're going to try to kill you!"

"So?"

"I don't want people attacking and killing each other! Did you not understand the meaning of the last war? It was a war of peace!"

"And we have peace."

"We won't if you keep killing everyone!"

"These people were rogue ninja. They would have been picked off by their village's ANBU anyway."

"That's not the point! I could have talked to them! I could have figured out what they wanted. Why they were doing what they were doing! They didn't deserve to die for being "bad"."

"I'm not going to stop. I don't care what you say."

"Why do you think this is okay?!"

"Why do you think it's wrong?"

"Because they're human beings! They deserve to live as well! What makes your life so much more important? Who gave you the right to determine if people live or die? I understand you want answers to things. I don't have a problem with that. What I do have a problem with is your lack of disrespect! You didn't even ask these people! You just took them, drugged them, and experimented on them! They didn't even get a chance! You took it away from them for some selfish goal of yours! Why do you have to do this? Isn't there a small part of you that feels guilty for doing this?"

"No. Why should it? These people mean nothing to me. They're going towards a greater good. People are sacrificed all the time. People are tortured for answers, and sometimes, those people die as a result. Animals are tested on as well. Are those things wrong?"

"Yes!"

"Well, I've already told you how to deal with this situation," he says, looking into the microscope again.

"And I've told you that I'm not killing you."

He shrugs. "Do what you want. It doesn't concern me."

"Killing you will solve nothing. I want to understand you. I want to be your friend."

"How pointless."

"I don't think so. You're interesting. I've never met anyone like you."

"And yet, you think everything about me is wrong."

"I never said that. It's wrong that you're killing people, but there must be a reason."

"I've already told you the reason. I want answers."

"And there's no way to get these answers you want any other way?"

"No."

"Don't you find it disgusting?"

"Find what disgusting?"

"Experimenting on people. I mean you have to cut them open and play with their organs and…." I shiver.

"Not at all. I find great pleasure in it."

"So what went wrong?"

"What do you mean?" he asks, looking at me.

"With you. I mean, what made you decide that experimenting was okay?"

"I never decided if it was right or wrong. I just felt like doing it, so I did it."

"And it felt good?"

"Indeed."

"You said your first experiment was on an animal…"

"Yes, what of it?"

"Well, what kind of animal was it? What did you do to it?"

"A snake."

I frown. "A snake. Don't you love snakes? Why would you do that to something you love?"

Orochimaru doesn't say anything for a while. He stares at me then returns to the microscope, moving another slide in after jotting down something on the paper beside of him.

"Do you regret it?" I whisper.

"I miss the snake, but I don't regret the experiment."

"Shouldn't that have given you a clue that you shouldn't do that?"

"No. It told me that doing it that way to that specific snake wasn't the way to go. It's how science works. If one experiment fails, then as scientists, we perform tweaks in our experiments until we get results."

"Why did you hurt something you love?"

"I don't want to discuss this right now."

I look at him for a while. Something bad must have happened. Perhaps a change of subject is in order.

"So did you find out how these people died?"

"A few, yes."

"What are you even trying to do anyway?"

"Increase chakra flow. I want to know if we have locked up chakra within ourselves that can revival that of the Tailed-beasts."

"Umm… I doubt it."

"Humans are quite amazing. You don't know what we have stored within us. In the right situation, we can do incredible things. You're a prime example."

"I'm different. You can't expect everyone to have chakra and powers like I do."

"Well, no. But I do believe humans have more chakra than they believe they have. I believe it's possible to increase the chakra in the body and the power of that chakra."

"Alright, let's pretend this works. What do you plan on doing with it?"

"Performing the experiment on myself, of course."

"You… experiment on yourself?" I whisper shakily.

He gazes up at me again. "Yes. Is that a problem?"

I open my mouth, but it's completely dry. I swallow. I feel my eyes dilate and my body shake. My chest tightens as my heart pounds in my chest. Just the thought of him hurting himself… it's… I let out struggled gasps, falling to my knees.

XXXX

Orochimaru

I move over to the boy as he hits the floor. "Hey, what's wrong with you?" I ask.

He looks up at me, tears falling. What's gotten into this kid? "Naruto, snap out of it. You're having a panic attack over nothing."

"It's… not… nothing…" he forces out between hyperventilated gasps.

"Does it bother you that much that I experiment on myself?"

He responds by letting out a choked sob.

What…?

"Why do you care? We're not friends. And wouldn't it be better me then your precious people?"

He shakes his head violently. "Everyone… matters. You… matter…"

"Well, okay then, but what does that have to do with self-experimentation?"

"You could… die…"

"Wouldn't that be good for you?"

"N-no! I don't… want you to… die!"

I study him for a while. This child. He's so… intriguing. What makes him this way? If only… I shake my head. Get those thoughts out of your head, Orochimaru. You can't. Not with this one. I close my eyes, lifting Naruto as I stand. "Just relax. You'll have a stroke like that."

"P-promise you won't…?"

I close my eyes. "I don't' have a choice."

"…oh…"

My chest tightens. Why do I feel bad? This kid doesn't care anything about me. Why should it matter if it bothers him if I experiment on myself or not?

"How about I fix you something to eat. Would that make you feel better?"

"Can we eat and talk in your bed?"

"Sure," I smile.

XXXX

After settling him in my bed and fixing the food, I come back with a tray of two bowls of curry, rice, and two glasses of water.

"You didn't fix ramen?" he frowns, sitting up.

"No. You had that the other day. You should eat more than those noodles."

"It's hard not to when they're so good," he says, starting to eat his food as I get in the bed.

"So you've calmed down?"

He nods slowly. "Sorry about that."
"Does that happen often?"

"It's my third one."

"Oh?" So he's had more than just the two he's had here. Interesting…

"Yeah," he sighs, placing his chopsticks down, and staring out.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

He doesn't say anything for a while. "It was during the time that we were about to start the war. The Kage had a summit. I had gone with Kakashi-sensei and Captain Yamato to track down the Raikage so he'd pardon Sasuke for his crimes. Unfortunately, he said no. I was forced back into the cabin we were staying in. Gaara and his siblings came and told me what happened at the summit. Gaara told me that if I wanted to be Hokage, then I needed to do what was best for my friends, village, and nation. It upset me. I didn't understand how he could just give up like that when he knew exactly how it felt not to have anyone. Then Sakura, Kiba, Akamaru, Sai, and Lee found me. Sakura told me she loved me and was over dealing with Sasuke. I knew that was a lie. I knew how she felt about Sasuke. It hurt not only because I had loved her for years, and she treated me like I was nothing but dirt for so long, but also because she turned her back on herself. That hurt more than anything. After I refused her, she left. Sai left an ink clone and told me what Sakura was really trying to say: that she was going to kill Sasuke."

"And that caused your panic attack?"

He nods. "I couldn't bare the thought of Sasuke being killed. He was lost, and killing him wouldn't solve anything. It'd only make things worse."

"I certainly understand why you'd be upset if something were to happen to Sasuke, but why did you have a panic attack over me?"

Naruto stares at me. "Because I care about you. I know it's strange, but I can't help it. You matter to me. You're important to me."

"So if I were to die…?"

"I'd be upset, yes."

"But wouldn't your world be better without me?"

"No. I find my life better with you, honestly."

"Yet, you wish to change me."

"I wish to understand you. I don't want to change you. I believe deep down you're a good person. You've changed a lot since we first met, after all."

"I've learned a lot."

"Like what?"

"Being someone else will get you nowhere."

"And yet, in a way, you're trying to be me."

I frown. "How so?"

"Well, you're trying to gain all this power and chakra-something I possess."

"Of course. I want to be able to have enough power to bring them back."

"So if you had enough chakra then would you stop your experiments?"

"That one, but there are more questions I have. Chakra is only a small portion of what I need to bring back the dead."

"What else do you need?"

"I need to figure out how to connect this world to their world."

"Doesn't the reanimation jutsu do that?"

"Yes, but only for a temporary time in a sacrificial body. I want them here in all their beautiful glory without the need to sacrifice anyone else."

Naruto doesn't say anything for a while. "It's sad how much pain you're in."

"Pardon?"

"Your eyes," he says, staring into them, "they're so sad. So lost and hopeless. So lonely…"

"I'm not lonely; I have my snakes."

"You need more than that. I believe if you got more human interaction, you wouldn't feel the need to experiment so much."

"I don't like humans."

"Well, you are human. I'm not saying go out there and party, but having someone to talk to has to feel good, right? I mean I know I can be annoying, but…"

"I find you intriguing, so I don't' mind talking to you. Although, we seem to argue more than anything."

"I tend to do that with a lot of people. I'm very opinionated, apparently."

"Just like Manda."

"Who?"

"Manda, my personal summons."

"Oh cool! Can I meet him?"

"Maybe one day."

"Alright," he smiles. "You know, you're a good cook."

"Thank you. Jiraiya taught me."

"Really? That was nice of him. I just assumed you knew everything."

"Why? Because I'm a genius?"

"Well, yeah."

"Genius comes in different forms. I had no need to know how to cook because I had parents. Jiraiya never did, so he had to learn from an early age."

"I suppose that makes sense. So how were your parents?"

"They were very kind," I reply after a while. "Strong-willed, powerful, and kind."

"I wish I could have met them."

"If I can figure out how to bring them back, perhaps you can before you die…"

Now it's my turn to feel pain bubbling within me. The thought of this child dying. Suffering at the hands of those reapers. I clench my fists hard. I hiss when the glass- the glass I forgot I was holding-shatters in my hand.

"Hey, are you alright?" Naruto asks, moving the trays aside and taking my hand. He slowly pulls the glass out of it as he pours chakra into it.

"You don't have to do that."

"And I don't have to talk to you, but I am. I do things because I want to. It feels right to help you, and that's what I'm doing."

"A waste of energy. You could be using that power on something else."

"Perhaps, but you're in need of my help right now. I don't mind helping you. I already told you that you're important."

"For some reason," I scoff. I watch his chakra flow into me, slowly healing my cut.

He shrugs. "It's just the way it is."

"You're such a strange child."

"Is that a bad thing?" he asks, examining my hand.

"No," I say, watching him.

He rubs his thumb over the scar on my palm a few times after he's laced our fingers together. He looks up at me. "You know what you are?"

"I'm Orochimaru."

"No, not who. What."

"I'm… not sure. I'm trying to figure that out."

"Well, I have your answer, Orochimaru!"

"You do?" Is this child messing with me, or…?

"Yup! You're an Oreo Snake!"

I blink. "An… Oreo… Snake?"

"Yup! I mean c'mon! Haven't you ever looked at yourself?"

"Of course. How else can I do my hair?"

"Do your…? Well, anyway, see your hair is like the cookie part and your skin is the cream! The snake part is obvious. Hell, even your name fits this so well! So what do people usually call you? Orochi? Oro? Well, I'm calling you Oreo!"

I laugh.

So I'm an Oreo Snake, huh? This child… I stare at him for a while then lick his face.

I want to keep him alive. I won't let him die!

Just a few things here to discuss:

1) Where is everyone else? What are they doing? Do they miss Naruto? Well, you shall find out in... *goes to look* Ten! Haha. Oh boy. Y'all are going to hate me. Don't worry; action is coming up ;). (not that kind! We have ways to go before that happens hehe.)

2) Oreo knows humans don't have as much chakra as the tailed beasts. What he means is that he believes they have more than what they believe they have and their strength is like the tailed beasts' because they can do incredible things. It's like that whole adrenaline thing (but maximized with chakra)

3) Why did Orochimaru lick Naruto? Do you know how many times my snake has touched me with his tongue? lol, Orochimaru is as snake as you can get without being a snake. Also, Pippa and I have our headcanon on that topic. ;)

4) Thank Pippa for helping me with this chapter. I know nothing about all that science stuff, but she does lol.

5) How would Oro know that Manda died? No one is going to tell him. (At least I don't know when/how they could even bring that up.) Manda meant a lot to him. (At least, that's what I believe, anyway)

6) I promise there will be more than the topic of experiments/death. They don't have too much they're willing to talk to each other about. But they're slowly warming up to each other :).

Preview

Naruto

He laughs humourlessly. "Aren't I? I'm certainly not human, Naruto. I know you see that."

"Stop! Just stop!" I'm in tears, and I can't stop them. "Please… Oreo… just… stop."

Oreo looks at me for a while. "Naruto…"

I wrap my arms around him and just hold him. I hold him close, feeling his body against mine. And it feels so good.

Next update date: May 20th

I hope y'all enjoyed! Until next time :).