Smiling, you continued walking towards the infirmary. Kimimaro was being treated in there; you were glad. He's going to get better, you thought to yourself. Yet, the terrifying memory of Kimimaro coughing up blood was still being replayed in your mind like a broken record. He was in pain.
Your eyes saddened. Part of you wanted to repay Kimimaro back for his kindness and willingness to speak with you when you both were children; but now, he didn't even remember your voice or your kindness. What had happened to him to cause him such emotional pain that now, you, his friend, couldn't reach him? His desire to please Orochimaru?
You sighed deeply once you had reached to doors to the infirmary. Maybe I'd be better if you kept out of his business No! You couldn't. After all, Kimimaro was your business. His well-being is your business. You brought your hands to the doors, opened them, and stepped through.
You were horrified.
The sight was alarming; Kabuto standing tauntingly over a pained Kimimaro. He was trembling, clutching the sheets as Kabuto tried to demoralize him with his venomous comments. "You getting sick so suddenly is very unfortunate. You've disappointed Orochimaru-sama dearly, especially now since it's understood that Orochimaru can't use an imperfect body such as yours." You became infuriated as Kabuto continued to mentally torture the young teen with his words, "Fortunately though, Orochimaru already has targeted another person to fulfill his dreams."
"That's enough." Your command was vicious and your eyes were gleaming with spite. The sadism and maliciousness of Kabuto's actions startled you; you had expected better from him, but then; you never really know a person "Get away from him."
You could practically here Kabuto smirk; it sickened you. Gradually, Kabuto responded to your commands, leaving the room swiftly, but not before throwing you a devious expression. You merely scoffed at his attempts to intimidate you.
Once you heard the door close, you turned to Kimimaro instinctively and watched silently as wisps of vapor became visible on the plastic of his breathing nozzle. It tremendously disturbed you to see him in such a pitifully vulnerable state. Concerned, you sauntered over to him, listening to his strained and erratic breathing intervals and watching as his chest rose up and down erratically.
He was crying.
Your eyes widened with shock, had the taunting of Kabuto affected him so seriously? Was Kimimaro that strongly indebted to Orochimaru? You stared at the glistening tear, cascading down his face. His dreams had been crushed You mentally cursed at Kabuto. Suppressing a sigh, you reached over, sinking one of your slightly calloused hands into the chilled bowl of water placed next to his head on one of the medical tables. Smiling slightly, you pulled out the soaking towel and wrung it out, listening in peace as the water droplets fell back into the bowl.
You placed the towel on his beautiful face, wiping away his tears and the tiny beads of sweat away from his brow. "Everything's going to be alright, Kimimaro-san; you're going to get better" Once you pulled the towel back, your eyes gravitated to his angelic face. He was more beautiful than you had ever imagined. His face, his body; like innocence in its purest form. One of your fingers combed through his pastel hair, marveling at its softness. You reached over to brush a strand away from his face when your hand was maliciously seized. It took you a full minute to realize that it was Kimimaro who had grabbed you.
Telling me to go,
But hands beg me to stay.
Your lips say that you love,
Your eyes say that you hate.
..:]:***:[:..
You flinched at the sheer power he put into the grasp; the soft cracking of bones was heard. Kimimaro's other hand reached towards his face, grabbing his breathing nozzle and ripping it off. He turned to glare at you, "What are you doing here?"
You ripped your hand from his grasp, massaging the muscles after you were a safe distance from him. "Just aiding you." Your response was as sweet as it could be, but Kimimaro didn't care. "I didn't ask for it, mind your own business."
You were flabbergasted, "Mind my own business? You are my business. I haven't seen you, or heard from you in so many years, and that's how you choose to greet me?"
He scoffed, turning away from you. You stared at his defined back, surprised by how powerful he'd become and at his remark. "I could care less if we supposedly knew each other when we were younger, much less if we were friends. It doesn't matter now, nothing from my past does, only Orochimaru."
There's truth in your lies,
Doubt in your faith.
What you build you lay to waste.
There's truth in your lies,
Doubt in your faith.
All I've got's what you didn't take.
..:]:***:[:..
Your shoulders sunk at his response, "You really don't remember me, do you? I bet you dont even remember my name. You of all people shou." Your voice trailed off. You bit your lip when Kimimaro didn't answer; meaning your theory was correct. Your eyes saddened, you would've thought that a friendship as powerful as that would've overcome the hands of time; but apparently not. Now, he only cared for Orochimaru, a person, whom you'd bet didn't care as much for Kimimaro as much as Kimimaro did for him. In a way, you were envious of Orochimaru. He was lucky to have the compassion and love of Kimimaro, even though he probably didn't realize this.
Your eyes narrowed, now, he was nothing but a blind, senseless toy; unable to see the truth.
Your voice was unbelievably stern towards the one that, in your heart, you had proclaimed you recognition to; "There was a time where I thought that you'd lead your own life the way you'd want to; but apparently not, now, you're just one of Orochimaru's toys." Your voice stiffened on the last word; it pained you to see him now; suffering from an unknown cause, indebted to a single uncompassionate person, and the farthest away from you that he had even been.
When you had first spoken to him, although he had felt somewhat familiar to you, it felt like you had been speaking to a stranger. He was now no different than any other of the Sound Five; you despised the reality of it.
"Get out."
You flinched at the sternness of his voice; he'd never spoken to you with such ferocity. Your eyes saddened. "As you wish, Kimimaro-san." You walked away, slipping through the doors soundlessly. But right before you completely sealed the door, you said one last thing to the lone Kaguya member.
"It's Kisoku."
As you closed the door behind yourself, you quickly glanced at Kabuto who was calmly leaning on nearby wall, smirking at your stupidity, "It's no use, Orochimaru no longer has a use for him anymore, he's chosen a new target." He chuckled darkly at the truth of it. Now, Kimimaro no longer had a purpose, just like when you had first met him.
You glared back at Kabuto, "You've no right to dangle the reality of it in Kimimaro's face."
Kabuto chuckled, "Being his doctor, I have every right to; you're simply a visitor." You eyes darkened, "If it wasn't for the fact that you were Orochimaru's plaything, I'd waste no time in disposing of you; you'd be wise not to anger me, Kabuto-sama." You snapped your head around, hair swishing quickly with the motion, and proceeded to leave.
So I, I won't be the one,
Be the one to leave this, In pieces.
And you, you will be alone,
Alone with all your secrets,
And regrets.
..:]:***:[:..
"Kimimaro; how pathetic; he'll never be able to live up to Orochimaru's standards Perhaps, I should do him a favor and dispose of him now."
'Swish!'
The expression on your face was passive although your attack had been fueled by pure ferocity. A kunai was now pressed dangerously close to the jugular vein in his neck; you flinched as you realized just how surprisingly sharp Kabuto was. The chilled metal of a blade had been pressed skillfully at the junction of your jaw and throat.
"Clever." The smirk on Kabuto's face had grown to disturbing heights. Bastard.
As aloof as your face had been, your voice was clearly pained, "You keep your problems to yourself and leave Kimimaro out of this! I will not allow you to bring harm to him, do I make myself clear?" Kabuto's eyes flickered with understanding but his malicious smirk, much to your dismay, had not disappeared.
You gave a soft sigh as the blade was removed from your throat as you did the same; you suddenly smirked, "You know, this was very nice, we never get a chance to talk with each other, glad we got acquainted." You said the last word sarcastically while twisting the kunai in your hands in a warning manner. You finally slipped away, talking your concern for Kimimaro with you. Was he going to get through this alright?
Would he ever remember you?
Don't lie.
..:]:***:[:..
[***Kimimaro's Point of View][Third P.O.V***]
Weeks later, Kimimaro was sauntering through the halls, searching for a familiar door that belonged to a raven haired ninja. He'd been given strict orders to take her to Orochimaru; a new mission had surfaced and now, Orochimaru needed all the help he could get. His new container, Uchiha Sasuke, needed to be recruited quickly into the Sound Five. When he had spoken to Orochimaru about Sasuke, Orochimaru had been trembling with anticipation. It saddened him dearly.
He paused once he had reached her door; did she truly recognize him? He pondered, brushing a strand of hair away from his face. What importance was she to him when they were younger? What did she look like when she was his age?
You promise me the sky,
Then toss me like a stone.
..:]:***:[:..
He mused about the offended expression she had had that day in the infirmary; it was as if her heart had been broken that very moment. "Kisoku." He tested the name out on his tongue; it was a lovely name for a person such as her, he wondered who had chosen that name for her. It sounded oddly familiar.
Kisoku
Still in deep thought, Kimimaro brought one of his hands to the door and knocked gingerly. He listened to the mellow sound of the wood as he knocked on it; but he heard nothing stir in her room. He knocked once again, this time more powerfully.
Nothing
He sighed, "Kisoku, Orochimaru has requested for your presence immediately." His words were emotionless, as if he'd been talking to one of the other Sound Five; as if she had never known him. Silence. He waited silently for a moment, carefully listening to the silence that followed. Swiftly, he raised his hand to knock on the door once again.
He froze.
His hand, so close to the wood of the door, was now trembling. This silence it seemed familiar. His mind wandered back to a time where such a silence usually enveloped him, the darkness of those days still existed in his heart. But now, he remembered a soft voice; he could not recall a face, only the compassionate voice of another, seeking to speak with him. A girl near his age, aching to speak with another, was the one who'd made his day in his cell bearable, almost enjoyable.
You wrap me in your arms,
And chill me to the bone.
..:]:***:[:..
Now, he remembered a time where the voice no longer spoke to him and only a frightening darkness was there to keep him company. Silence. He remembered calling out the girl's name several times, receiving no answer. The magnitude of worry and pain that he had felt at that moment was indescribable. For the longest of time, he had wondered what that face had looked like; and what her smile looked like.
But after his alliance with Orochimaru, the voice had faded from his mind and soon, his devotion to Orochimaru had overtaken his heart, his thoughts. That pure devotion that he'd expressed to Orochimaru was the same he'd felt when he was speaking to that girl. After her departure, was it that loss that had driven him into such a state of longing, a state of longing for a person to place his devotion, his faith in?
His turquoise eyes widened at the realization; all this time, she had been here, devoted to him after all of these years. The years and experiences had not driven him out of her heart. She still cherished him, just as he once did.
There's truth in your lies,
Doubt in your faith.
All I've got's what you didn't take.
..:]:***:[:..
But now, he couldn't mind it; by taking her into his heart, he'd be pushing out Orochimaru. His desire to fulfill Orochimaru's dreams was a nearly inescapable thought.
"Kisoku?" He asked, trying to suppress the concerned tone in his voice. When she didn't answer, his fingers twitched as one of his sharpest bones splintered its way through his skin. He'd open the door and check up on her, to make sure she was alright.
Just then, the door flew open, and a teenager around his age gave him a questioning stare. Her hair was wrapped in a towel, soaking wet, her clothes were fresh. She had a soft face, and eyes that had seen too much before their time. He found himself staring at the little wisps of ebony hair that not wrapped in the towel; they reached her shoulders.
Sounding relived Kimimaro spoke, "You're alright."
You raised an eyebrow, "Of course." You became curious of Kimimaro's awestruck expression; until now, you had not seen such a contortion of emotions on his face. "Are you alright?" You asked with a soft expression on your lips that crossed between a smile and a smirk. Kimimaro's expression softened slowly, "Let's go, Orochimaru wishes to see you."
Once his master's name had slipped from his mouth again, your importance to him had been buried once again; he couldn't stray from his purpose.
So I, I won't be the one,
Be the one to leave this, In pieces.
And you, you will be alone,
Alone with all your secrets,
And regrets. Don't lie.
..:]:***:[:..
"You wished to speak with me Orochimaru-sama?" You asked softly, staring contently into the eyes of the yellow-eyed sannin. He smirked, eyeing both you and Kimimaro with interest. In his eyes, you could sense that he was withholding something from your knowledge, but you didn't question it.
So I, I won't be the one,
Be the one to leave this, In pieces.
And you, you will be alone,
Alone with all your secrets,
And regrets.
..:]:***:[:..
"Ah yes Kisoku, you will be aiding Kimimaro on a future mission, train and get prepared with the others; teamwork is a necessity." You slightly bowed your head to show respect, "As you wish, Orochimaru-sama." As soon as you turned your body away from him to leave, a thought came to mind:
He's hiding something.
Don't lie.
..:]:***:[:..
How can Kimimaro be so cold?
Well, how was that?
Your personal opinion is encouraged, but no pressure. :)
NEXT CHAPTER will be titled, "Lowlife" --- As in, "Lowlife" by The Scanners. Feel free to check out the song. :)
