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Mend Me	By : AccioLucius Category: Naruto > Het - Male/Female Views: 4140 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naurto or any of its characters. I do not make a profit from writing this story.

Chapter List
- 25
- 26
- 27
Chapter 25
Saya bit her lip as she stared into Akira's eyes. Every negative emotion known to man, but especially sadness and hate, flashed within them. He managed to keep his face set in a single, hard expression, though. It was a stark contrast to the smirking one of Orochimaru. It was also draining what little patience Akira had.
"What are you doing here?" he finally asked, cocking his head at his former lord.
Orochimaru raised an eyebrow at him. Still smirking, he simply replied, "I felt we needed a change of scenery."
"So you decide to bring them right back home?" Akira barely gave the man time to finish. "Drop my son off where it's convenient and drag Saya to bed while I'm right next door?"
"Akira, please-" Saya started, but she was cut off.
"Your son?" Orochimaru almost laughed as he looked to his spitting image sitting in the kitchen.
"Yes, my son. The only claim you have on him is that you helped create him. The fact that he carries your genes means nothing compared to what I have done for him."
"Oh, but it means everything," Orochimaru nearly hissed.
At this point, Saya had backed away from the two men until she was flat against the wall. Akira's eyes had turned murderous while his hands balled into shaking fists at his sides. Even Orochimaru seemed to be losing his calm demeanor as his shoulders squared.
"Do you honestly believe that I will allow any offspring of mine, any child with the potential that he has, to be raised and trained by anyone other than myself? Honestly, Akira, a street shinobi raising the only child of any of the three legendary sannin? It's criminal."
Orochimaru's tone remained calm, if not demeaning.
"There you go," Akira sneered at him. "It's not even about the boy, it's about you. How you can raise him to your liking, to be a minion, or a legacy, or worse."
The lord's eyes narrowed at Akira then, but only for a second. He knew he was being baited, and he knew what he was implying.
"You're only interested in what you can get out of Tetsuya. And Saya," Akira continued. "You don't care about the life they will have with you, only how to use them since you've forced them on yourself."
"Wait," Saya cut in as she held up a hand. "Orochimaru made a choice, and that was to take us in. Just because he discovered he had a son doesn't mean he had to take an interest in him, or even acknowledge him. But he did. And if he did feel forced, then why are the two of us still with him, or even alive for that matter?"
Orochimaru turned to raise an eyebrow at the woman. His eyes locked with hers for a moment, and Saya could see that there was genuine surprise in them. As she registered her own words, she too felt surprised herself.
"A-are you actually defending him?" Akira breathed at her.
Saya tore herself from Orochimaru's sudden change of expression and back to Akira. Her face fell at the look on his. He was completely wounded, but hate still shone in his eyes.
"I'm not defending everything he's done, just…"
A shaky breath left Saya as her voice trailed off. The gazes of both men bore down on her as she stood with a hand over her face. She let a few deep breaths release as she tried to relax and dig into the lingering feelings of her earlier moment alone with Orochimaru. Conversations with the man were also flooding back to her, making her feel that much more confused. One thing was certain, though.
"Akira," she started softly, "I only have a few days left with Orochimaru. I want to spend them with him. No fighting or interruptions, ok?"
When her face rose to meet Akira's, her eyes were wet. She truly did want to spend more time with Orochimaru, possibly even more time than they had, and she knew it was going to tear Akira apart inside. But if it was, he showed no sign of it. Sure, his face calmed and his eyes turned emotionless, but he didn't even reply.
"I'm sorry," she added after a moment. "You know I don't mean to make it sound like you're in the way." Saya shrugged. "After this week, that's it. I want enough time to-"
"But will this week really be it, Saya?"
Akira's eyes were dead as they looked into hers. He had grown just as tired as Saya, and for a moment, she wondered if this was how Orochimaru felt. Holding someone else's emotions in the palm of your hand while you wonder what to do with them. With his mentality, she could see how easy it could be to make a game of it.
Saya also wasn't sure how to answer. She truly had no idea what would happen when it was time for her to split ways with Orochimaru. It certainly wasn't something she wanted to discuss with both of them staring her down.
Despite the confusion she felt, she grinned up at Akira. She still loved him and always would. She was even about to reassure him, until Orochimaru approached her and gently placed a hand on her back. He opened his mouth to speak, but Akira beat him.
"Get your hand off of her," her growled.
"And if I don't?" Orochimaru chuckled.
Fists still shaking, Akira finally released their energy. He quickly hurled himself at Orochimaru, aiming his fist to swing right into the other man's face. It was foolish, though. Without even blinking and in an instant, Orochimaru pushed Saya behind him as he kicked his foot right into Akira's chest.
Saya barely had time to react as she stumbled back and grabbed for a nearby counter, but she glanced up in time to see the force of Orochimaru's kick hurl Akira across the kitchen and through the sliding glass door. It shattered to pieces, raining glass down on him as he rolled across the patio and into the yard.
"Mom!"
Saya stood frozen with her mouth agape and heart pounding, and it wasn't until Tetsuya called for her again that she managed to bring shaking hands up to her mouth. Without looking in Orochimaru's direction, Saya rushed to the table. Tetsuya sat on the floor, uncurling his body as his mother approached. "Are you ok?" she asked him as she leaned down to run a hand over his head. The boy nodded, but he looked outside to Akira.
"Stay here," Saya told him as she stood. She looked down at the floor, where it was littered with broken glass. Raising on her tiptoes, Saya began to maneuver around the shards as she started outside. But not before Orochimaru walked right over the glass and past her.
"Akira!" Saya called after him.
He was still lying in the yard, but trying to pick himself up off the ground. Faint trickles of blood ran across his back and arms. Saya started for him, but Orochimaru held an arm in front of her. She was about to protest, but out of the corner of her eye she could see Sound ninja surrounding the yard.
"Stay out of the way, Saya."
"Don't you touch him," she told him as she tried to push his arm away, but that only caused Orochimaru to round on her. His hands gripped her upper arms, but Saya stood her ground. "Let. Go."
"Unless you put your dog on a leash," he breathed at her, "I will put him in his place."
"Just give him a minute," she growled. "He has a reason to be upset."
"And that reason is you, Saya," Orochimaru continued in his low voice. "These past 24 hours have made it clear in what direction you are headed in. There's no better time than now to let him know as well."
Saya's eyes softened as he released the grip on her arms, but what he did next was just as harsh. As his hand rose to cradle her head, his lips met the center of her forehead. Saya froze at the touch, not quite sure whether to flinch or grin. All the while her mind was trying to tell her that is was just for show, that it meant nothing, but in the pit of her stomach it did.
Still frozen, Saya looked to Akira, who had finally stood and now glared at the two of them. His eyes were full of rage, even as he stared back at her. And it wasn't until a ray of sunlight make the glint of silver shine that Saya realized he had hurled a handful of knives in their direction.
With a gasp she managed to pull Orochimaru to the side, but it was no need. Just as quickly as the steel left Akira's hand, Kabuto darted to guard his lord from the attack, swiftly and effortlessly deflecting the knives with one of his own.
"Per our agreement," the med ninja began with a smirk, "If I hurt Saya or the boy, you'll try to kill me, but if you try to hurt Lord Orochimaru, I'll kill you."
As Saya gazed on in shock, Orochimaru merely peered over his shoulder at him. He even managed a chuckle. "Stand aside, Kabuto."
It was all the invitation Akira needed. With that same look in his eyes, he slowly began to approach. Kabuto matched his glare, but stood aside at his master's request.
Saya looked between Akira and Orochimaru in panic. The sannin turned to face the other man with a smirk on his face. He knew he had the upper hand, everyone did. But that didn't stop Akira from coming closer and closer.
"Don't," Saya shook her head. Ignoring the men to her side, she rushed to him and practically pushed him off his feet. "Akira, you can't do this," she begged.
"Saya," he started as his eyes softened and found hers, "if you aren't going to stand up for yourself, then someone else has to."
"This isn't the way," she whispered. Her hands rose to rest against his chest. "Do you really think he'll hesitate to kill you if he gets the chance? And do you want me to watch that happen?" Saya's eyes pleaded with his as they grew teary.
Akira clasped her hands that were still against him. "Of course not," he replied as his voice dropped. "This is just so hard and…" He paused as he stared into her eyes once more.
Saya could see that he was struggling with his emotions. And when he gripped her hands before pushing them away, her heart began to pound.
"I can't stand here and do nothing," Akira finished as she shot an angry look at Orochimaru.
The woman let her hands drop as he walked passed her. In that moment something snapped inside of her. And at that point, shock and fatigue led Saya to let her emotions drop as well. She let the anger and fear leave her as she followed behind Akira, stopping only when she got to the broken glass door. She kept her gaze away from the men, but snapped to Tetsuya when she found him peaking around the door frame.
"Upstairs," Saya simply told him as she shook her head.
"Let him watch his father, Saya," Orochimaru told her as he glanced back at them.
"Absolutely not," she growled as she gathered the boy in her arms. Tetsuya didn't even protest as Saya carefully walked them back inside. She carried her son to the farthest edge of the kitchen, away from the view outside, and slowly sunk to the floor. Saya clutched his tiny body to hers as she tried to hold back her tears.
"Are they going to fight?" Tetsuya asked softly.
"I think so," Saya barely whispered.
Tetsuya buried further into her arms. "I don't want them to."
"Neither of us do."
Saya cradled Tetsuya's head to her chest as they both fell silent. She could hear voices outside, but she was trying to tune them out as her eyes closed. She was tired of feeling and fighting on her own, but that didn't stop her from cringing as Akira could be heard uttering a small cry of pain.
She felt Tetsuya's face rise to look to her own, but she simply kept her eyes closed and tried to calm him down by soothingly combing through his hair. It was also to soothe her own self. With each muffled grunt, cry, and scuffle, Saya flinched.
While her emotions were still calming, her adrenaline was doing quite the opposite. Saya's heart hammered against her chest, making her pulse pound and limbs fidget until she was shaking all over.
Her eyes finally opened when Tetsuya put his hand over one of her shaking arms. Saya found the boy looking up at her worriedly, and as she still shook, she knew it was worry for her. That's when her body finally reacted. With Tetsuya still in her arms, she flew to her feet and ran for the front door. She tore it open and continued to run, not looking back to see if anyone even noticed.
Saya ran across the field to the side of her home, away from the village and away from what was happening in her backyard, and headed to the forest on the other side. She had no idea where she was going, which was why she didn't answer when Tetsuya asked her, but she needed somewhere to run away. Away from both Orochimaru and Akira.
Tears eventually left her eyes, but Saya paid no mind as she kept running. She ran barefoot, also paying no mind to the twigs and rocks that dug into her feet. Even when she reached the forest, she kept running and pushed past branches in an almost angry fashion.
As she ran deeper in, Saya couldn't help but be reminded of the dream she had directly after Orochimaru cursed her. Running through the woods and away from a small army of white snakes.
With heavy breath Saya finally slowed to a walk, but not before her knees buckled under her. Her energy had drained just as quickly as it flooded her. She clutched Tetsuya as they fell to the forest floor.
"Mom!" Tetsuya scrambled from her grip and shook her side.
She was fine physically, but Saya's mind wouldn't let her move. She lay there and stared mindlessly at a tree trunk. "I'm fine," she told him softly.
"No you're not," Tetsuya argued as he pulled at her arm. He kept tugging relentlessly, until he managed to pull Saya into a slouchy seated position, but she still wouldn't look up. "You're scaring me."
"I'm scared too," she whispered.
The two fell silent then, save for Saya's heavy breathing.
Her eyes eventually moved toward her son, and while he was scared, he appeared more confused. Saya sighed heavily as she opened her arms and motioned for him to come forward. "Come here." Tetsuya crawled in her lap and positioned himself the same as he had just minutes earlier.
"I didn't mean to scare you," Saya told him. "I don't want to be around them right now, but I couldn't leave you there with them."
"We should have stayed," Tetsuya argued, though his tone was soft. "What if something bad happens?"
Saya held him closer, prepared to answer, but also quite not sure how. It scared her to think of what was happening to Akira, to think about how much this situation was still a huge problem and only growing. She struggled to find her words as she tried to answer, but someone else eventually did for her.
"He's right," Kabuto told them as he stepped from behind a tree. He held up his hands to show he meant no harm.
Saya would have been surprised if she had the energy to be. Instead, she simply sighed and glared up at him. "Why did you follow me?"
"Because running away was the stupidest thing you could have done," Kabuto shot at her. He crossed his arms, almost as if he was preparing to scold her. "While Akira isn't in any serious danger, Lord Orochimaru isn't exactly taking this fight seriously, you're the only one that can get him to calm down. If he doesn't, well, you know how little patience Orochimaru has once he is serious."
"I can't, Kabuto," Saya nearly growled. "He's at the end of his rope and finally snapped. I am worried about him, but if the both of them get beaten up for behaving like teenagers and fighting over a girl, then that's their problem. I'm tired of it."
Kabuto smirked down at her. "What's your plan, then?"
"I don't have one," Saya instantly replied as she looked away from him and down at Tetsuya. He had grown quiet, but was hanging on to every word they said. "I'm just taking this one day at a time now."
"Regardless, both of those men are fighting, and I can't believe I'm saying this, over you. You owe it to them to at least be there."
Saya half-laughed and scowled at him. "And by that you mean be there for Orochimaru? Because I should be so honored that he's participating in such a childish fight, let alone any fight, to keep me by his side. Isn't that what you mean, Kabuto?" Saya finished sarcastically.
The med-ninja returned her scowl. "For whatever reason," he started with a spat, "yes, you should be. A legendary shinobi is fighting for your loyalty. You should be there to thank him."
Setting Tetsuya to the side, Saya stood and closed the distance between her and Kabuto. Her eyes bore into his as she clenched her jaw and lowered her voice. "I am amazed and somewhat flattered for his determination, but I will never thank him. Any shred of loyalty I may have toward him is what's tearing my life apart. We'll go back, but to put a stop to it."
Kabuto nodded once. "Very well." Without waiting for a response, he instantly turned to walk back to Saya's home.
Saya rolled her eyes, but her mood was quickly changed as Tetsuya grabbed for her hand and looked up at her. She sighed and managed a small grin. "We'll go back, but if it's bad I'm going to ask you to go inside, ok?"
The boy nodded, and now with a knot in her stomach, Saya led them out of the forest.
He's not dead, Saya kept telling herself as they walked through the trees and across the field. Surely Orochimaru knew that killing him would be the final straw. It would take everything Saya had to keep from killing him in return, sannin or not.
She retraced their steps; going back through the front door instead of heading directly to the backyard. Her heart was pounding again as she reached the edge of the kitchen. Kabuto stood in the doorway with his back to her, blocking her view from outside. She squeezed her son's hand.
"Stay here," she told him softly. She grinned weakly as he nodded and let his hand fall from hers.
Saya once again carefully walked around the broken glass still on the floor. Kabuto stood aside so she could see.
"Strictly melee, no jutsu," he commented dryly. "It's really just a matter of who tire's first."
"I'm sorry it's not entertaining enough for you," Saya growled as she watched the two men. It truly was like watching two teenagers scuffle. Akira's rage was apparent as he threw countless punches and kicks toward Orochimaru, but the elder shinobi gracefully blocked and countered each once with ease. And because he was still shirtless, it was amazing to see not a scratch or scuff on him.
She sighed and crossed her arms. "This is ridiculous," she mumbled.
Her eyes locked with Akira's briefly, but it was enough for him to see the disgust in them. His guard dropped for just an instant, but it was enough for Orochimaru to kick his legs out from under him. With a smirk, the sannin kneeled by his side. "And have you made your point?" he asked with humor in his voice.
"No," Akira spat. "Not until she knows the monster you really are."
Orochimaru swiftly grasped Akira's throat with both of his hands. "And whose fault is that?"
"Orochimaru, stop!" Saya called from the doorway. She could see their lips moving as they conversed with each other, but the words were lost as her heart began to pound and she focused on the pale hands wrapped around Akira's throat.
"Five years you've spent trying to keep me out of her head and it's all too obvious how badly you've failed."
Akira clawed at the man's hands, but that only made their grip tighten enough to make him choke. Orochimaru continued as his voice turned into a whisper.
"Five years since you have thrown away your loyalty to me, and what did you do? Nothing. She thinks I'm merely misunderstood and lonely, and all because you failed to tell her who I really am. Because even after those years away from me, you're too weak to turn on the man who took you in and trained you as an orphan."
Orochimaru then laughed. "It's quite adorable really. Almost like a son defending his father-"
A slice to the left side of his face was enough to make Orochimaru stop. While he was busy laughing, Akira had reached for a stray blade that lay on the ground near him.
It provided leverage, as it gave him an opening to push the sannin off of him. Both men got to their feet as equally quickly, though. Akira gritted his teeth as he stood prepared for an attack. All the while, Orochimaru smirked back as blood ran down the side of his face and to his neck.
Meanwhile, Saya still stood at a distance. She was happy to see Akira back up, but couldn't help but feel a pang of defensiveness as she watched him cut Orochimaru.
"Finally," Kabuto commented with a smirk.
The two shinobi stared each other down for what seem liked hours. Minutes did pass without a single movement, though. It caused the air to thicken with tension and uneasiness. No one knew exactly what was going to happen next. But when it did, it happened quickly.
Blade still in hand, Akira raised his arms to prepare a jutsu, but whether from fatigue, nerves, or sheer lack of experience, Orochimaru stopped him as soon as he began.
Saya watched in horror as Orochimaru quickly and blurrily flashed a hand sign and shot brown snakes from his body. She couldn't count how many, but the bundle was thicker than the man's own body. They shot as quickly as lightning toward Akira, who dodged, save for one.
Saya could feel Tetsuya clinging to her clothes. She hadn't even noticed that he had approached, and while she didn't want him to watch, she couldn't bring herself to shield his eyes. She couldn't even move herself.
Kabuto smirked in her direction before turning his eyes back to his lord.
A single snake stretched from Orochimaru's body to Akira's. It had sank its teeth into his shoulder and battled with this arms as it began an attempt to constrict his body. Orochimaru stood calmly with his arm outstretched as he watched. Akira managed to stab the serpent with his single blade, but it wasn't enough.
Orochimaru released the snake, where it became one of its own. And as Akira now struggled with the snake still latched to his shoulder, Orochimaru shot a second, single snake in his direction. This one latched to his opposite leg, bringing him to the ground instantly as it began to curl around his lower body. This now gave the first snake a chance to gain control of his arms as it circled his chest.
Akira lay on the ground struggling. The pain from the razor-sharp teeth was one thing, but both snakes were now squeezing his body in unison.
Without looking down, Saya detached Tetsuya from her robe. "S-stay," she barely managed to croak. As she walked forward into the yard, Orochimaru casually walked toward the writhing mess ahead of him.
She called for him, but he ignored her. His eyes were glued to his prey on the ground. It seemed as though Orochimaru was finished, clearly with the odds in his favor, but he wasn't. As his serpents gained full control of Akira's body, the sannin smirked devilishly down at him.
"And just like that," he started as he leaned down to punch Akira in the face, "you fail again."
Akira took the blow, but it didn't stop him from coughing as the snakes curled around him even tighter. Orochimaru smirked at them. While they had total control of his body, they left his abdomen completely exposed.
"But let me give her a taste, shall I?" Orchimaru said through gritted teeth. A fist hurled right into Akira's liver, causing him to shriek in pain.
"Oh my god," Saya whispered to herself, still battling with her petrified body. She now stood just feet away, but stopped. Her hands covered her mouth, her brain going haywire.
Orochimaru stood calmly and watched as the younger man writhed in pain. The snakes had stopped their squeezing, but kept a hold on him, both with their fangs and their bodies. Orochimaru chuckled once, ready to walk away from one of the most pathetic fights he had ever been a part of, but his true self was beginning to surface.
Any other person, in any other situation, would be dead by now. Saya was the only thing keeping him from letting those snakes crack his neck. And it infuriated him. He wanted Akira dead and gone, but that wasn't possible with her there to witness. Instead, he clenched his jaw and kicked him, kicked him over and over in that same sensitive spot until Akira was a crying, begging mess.
And at that point Saya had seen enough. Her senses and motor skills were finally regained at the horrible sight and sound, propelling her right into Orochimaru.
"Fucking stop it!" she cried at him. She pushed him away, and despite her fear, kneeled and began pulling at the large, hissing snakes that still surrounded Akira. He stared up at her awe, but just barely as his consciousness was slipping.
This only angered them, but with a wave of his hand, Orochimaru ceased their grip. They were gone in a poof of smoke, leaving Akira gasping for breath and shaking terribly.
Saya silently cried as tears poured down her face. She looked down at Akira as she cradled his head. This is my fault, she thought, I literally stood there and let this happen. But now wasn't the time for her to lose herself, not with Akira like this. He was bloodied and broken. How he was even awake was beyond her.
"You're ok," she told him as she stroked his face. "Just stay still."
Akira nodded as he closed his eyes, still not quite able to talk. He cringed as he grasped at his abdomen. Saya put a hand on top of his. "I'm so sorry, Akira. I didn't think it would go this far."
"Saya."
At the sound of her name and a hand on her shoulder, she snapped. Saya flew to her feet to face Orochimaru, who looked back at her as if nothing was wrong. Her eyes burned into his, wanting to claw at them, but knowing better. Instead, she raised a hand to slap across the bloody side of his face.
"Don't say my name," she growled at him as Kabuto, Tetsuya, and the Sound ninja looked on. "Don't touch me."
Orochimaru clenched his fists at her, and almost let them swing, but something stopped him. He simply stood there and leered back at her.
"I can understand Akira getting violent, but you? You should know better. You know you're more capable and have the upper hand. So why fight back? What do you have to prove to me, or to any of us?"
The man opened his mouth to speak, but Saya continued. "That no one gets away with disrespecting you? That I'm yours? Orochimaru, this was nothing but a pissing contest between two boys. And for what, for me?"
Saya laughed with disbelief. She could feel her mind and body shift to feelings she had never felt around this man: control and self-assurance. If not a touch of madness. "I should be so flatted that Orochimaru spent his time, energy, and blood," she paused as she raised a hand toward his face, "to prove he's powerful enough to keep me all for himself. But what it really proves is how pathetic you are."
"'Legendary sannin' must not be that honorable of a title if this is what they waste their time doing. And not just any sannin, but you, the genius. Of all the things you could be doing with your life, this is one of them? Playing a game of cat and mouse with someone you have no use for just for the hell of it…playing with people's lives just because you can. Just...why?"
Orochimaru stared murderously at her, but it was his time to be petrified, because he knew she spoke the truth. There was no need or reason for any of this.
"Saya," he said softly, despite his expression.
A loud smack filled the air as Saya slapped him once more. "I said don't say my name!" she screamed at him. This time she earned a response as Orochimaru angrily pushed her arm away from him. "I don't want you to even look at me right now," she barely managed above a whisper as sadness creeped onto her face.
"Did last night not mean anything to you? Or even this morning?" the man dared to ask her.
"That's why I don't want you to look at me. That wasn't you. This is you." Saya paused as she looked up at him with wet eyes. "And it's not simply the fight; it's the reason. I want love, Orochimaru, and even last night you said that you're not capable."
Her tears spilled over then and she took a step closer to the man. "I had hope that you did," she softly told him, "because despite what I claim, what I said last night was truly worth looking into. But not now."
Saya then turned her back to him and kneeled down to reclaim her spot beside Akira. She could tell by his eyes that he was trying to black out.
"Just please get your things and leave," she told him loudly and clearly. "I don't have anything else to say to you."
His eyes could be felt on her back, and even though her heart was breaking over him, it was already broken over the man on the ground beside her. Having heard her, Akira laced his fingers with hers as they still lay over his abdomen.
This truly was the breaking point, and in a snap decision, Saya made her choice. That didn't mean she was happy, though.
Especially when so casually, Orochimaru retreated with a simple "Very well."
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