A Growing Affection

Chapter 18: Skinning a Snake

"Welcome back," Kabuto offered sarcastically. He ignored Sasuke's venomous gaze.

"Lord Orochimaru has been waiting for you."

Sasuke's expression changed from murderous to condescending. He did not answer, but did change his course, diverting into the Sannin's audience hall. Inside, he found his teacher, pouring over an ancient scroll. Orochimaru did not acknowledge Sasuke's entrance, did not look up from his reading. Uchiha stared at the necromantic shinobi with mildly concealed distaste.

"Ah, Sasuke," the leader of the Sound finally turned his gaze to his apprentice. The rogue Genin's ire rose, he knew Orochimaru had been aware the moment he had entered the room.

"I see you have finally made it back from your little tournament," the villain's voice was a soft hiss, "It has been almost three weeks."

The yellow, slitted eyes locked on orbs that held the Sharingan.

"I was afraid something might have happened to you," his platitude was entirely without sincerity. But his next query did carry a mild curiosity, "Did you find what you where looking for? Or at least win?"

"It was a trap, set by a Blood-drinker demon," Sasuke offered without emotion.

"Of course, the creature was after your Kekkei Genkai," Orochimaru mused, "Obviously, it was not up to your level."

"No," Sasuke turned the suggestion back with dark humor, "I was captured, and enslaved."

Orochimaru tilted his head, betraying a slight increase in interest.

"Naruto broke the demon's hold on me, and defeated the vampire," admitting this would normally have been difficult for Sasuke, but this time, he reveled in the Sannin's reaction. Though most people would have missed it, the Uchiha scion caught the angry narrowing of Orochimaru's eyes, and twitch over his right temple indicating the snake's fear of the fox.

"So the idiot did come for you, as expected. But once again he was unable to capture you."

"He was distracted," Sasuke meticulously laid out Naruto's fight with the demon. The description of Naruto's new techniques had a strange impact on the legendary rogue, inspiring both hunger and worry. The Genin's story ended when Orochimaru suddenly coughed fiercely, wetting the parchment before him with drops of blood. Sasuke's mood darkened, his amusement at baiting his teacher gone.

"It is interesting," he told the body-thief, "I don't remember most of what happened to me while under the creature's control. Nothing I heard, or felt, or smelled. But these eyes, they retain what my brain did not. I can still see anything I saw back then, when my Sharingan was active. I know what Naruto said to me, because I can read his lips."

"Enough about the Jinchuriki," Orochimaru interrupted, "We have other matters to discuss."

"He said one thing worth noting, while preying on my emotions," Uchiha continued without pausing, "He told me that you had failed to defeat Itachi."

Orochimaru had been growing angry at being ignored, but Sasuke's announcements froze him.

"And?" the Sannin feigned indifference, "You didn't already know that?"

"I suspected, but..." the teen lost his temper, "Everything I have done over the last two and a half years was based on the assumption you could provide me with the power I need to kill my brother! I betray my village and my teammates. I have stolen for you, and killed for you..."

"And in return, I have given you the strength you were willing to do anything to gain," Orochimaru's answer was harsh and mocking.

"I was even willing to let you take possession of my body to gain my vengeance. But you could not even defeat Itachi. And of course, your tutelage would be designed to keep me weaker than you."