title: i will follow you into the dark
author: ohwhatsherface
note: this is an old thing but now that kabuto has history i sort of want to write about him. although i have yet to read the past year's worth of naruto... i should get on that. but yes. i am intrigued and want to write about him. :D
warnings: au in which sakura accompanied sasuke to sound.
disclaimer: i do not own naruto.

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"You should never fully suppress your chakra. That makes you look suspicious. Rather, suppress it to the level of a civilian."

Sakura doesn't gasp when she realizes that the message is directed to her. Rather, she takes the advice, allowing just enough chakra to leak through until there was enough to indicate the presence of a regular person, not a ninja.

"Perfect."

She can't help but smile at the compliment. "Thank you," she murmurs, stepping out of the shadows.

Kabuto continues working, not sparing her a single glance. "Is there a reason you felt so inclined to spy on me, Sakura-chan?" He stills briefly when she comes up beside him and leans over the metal table ever so slightly to get a better view. "For Sasuke-kun?"

Sakura stiffens. "No!" she immediately denies. The sadness that comes forth whenever his name is said in her presence appears and Kabuto can't help but smile at her displeasure. "I'm not! I swear—"

"I believe you," Kabuto interrupts. He lifts the ten-blade off the small platter on the side of the table. "So then I will assume you wanted to watch this dissection for your own curiosity." He looks at her and slowly, she nods.

"What are you doing?" Sakura asks. When he pauses and stares at her, she blushes. "Sorry," she mumbles.

Kabuto smiles. "This is Takumi," Kabuto says, gesturing to the man on the table. He omits the fact that the man is a Hyuuga—an ANBU from Konoha, and that the only reason he survived while the rest of his team was slaughtered, was for study. "He was caught snooping around our territory this morning." Hearing him use 'our' makes Sakura somewhat uneasy. It reminds her that she's a traitor; she's just like him now.

"You said 'is,'" Sakura points out. "He's still alive then?"

Kabuto narrows his eyes ever so slightly. "Why do you ask?"

Her gaze is trained on the ten-blade as she inquires, "Can he feel anything?"

Kabuto takes a moment before he shakes his head. "No," he lies. "He's dead." He smiles at her again. "Would you like to open him up for me, Sakura-chan?"

"What?" She looks amazed. "Me? R—really?"

Instead of speaking, he hands the blade to her. "Here."

Kabuto carefully instructs her on how to cut the body and is pleased when she makes no mistakes. He doesn't tell that the Hyuuga has actually only been poisoned so that he can't move, but he can feel everything. He only dies when Sakura looks towards his chest and Kabuto stops his heart while pointing at the organ, but that too is kept from her.

Instead, Kabuto tells her about the body. He gives her a detailed anatomy lesson, telling her the best places to hit someone with a poisoned senbon or what spots would result in blood loss the fastest. He shows her how to use his chakra to make a scalpel and destroy and how to use his chakra to mend and heal.

She only nods every time he speaks, eagerly absorbing every piece of information.

Hours later, Kabuto hears Orochimaru calling for him. He grins at Sakura. "It would appear we got a little too wrapped up in our lesson, Sakura-chan."

"Right." She smiles back shyly. "Thank you," she mumbles.

Kabuto nods. "Go back to Sasuke-kun," he says. "I'm sure he's looking for you."

He doesn't miss the grimace on her face before she leaves. Kabuto almost pities her. Like him, she'd made the poor decision of following someone else into the darkness and now she is regretting it. Kabuto wants to call her a fool but he knows she's anything but. The girl is actually surprisingly intelligent and has proven to be a very fast learner.

It is then he decides it's time for an apprentice.