Cold

Chapter 1

Definitely one of the coldest days of the year. It was December in Konoha currently and the Godaime's assistant was outside in it. Snow was actually falling lightly from the sky. Such an unwelcome change upon the villagers. Shizune watched people walking past her, hands shoved in their pockets, scowls set upon their lips. However, Shizune was the only one who woke up with a wide-stretched grin of joy. Winter was her favorite season, and she loved the way the show garnished the ground festively.

Speaking of festively… the Winter Cherry Blossom Festival is coming up, is it not? Shizune mentally asked herself. She'd heard something about such a thing from Sakura Haruno, who had plans to ask Sasuke Uchiha who'd returned to the village and had been here for the past 3 months. Things were really looking up for the whole town. With the Uchiha back and the evil Uchiha gone; things were beginning to settle down. Other than Pein and Konan of the Akatsuki who had yet to be eliminated. And Kabuto…?

Why had HE come to her mind? He was still alive, she was sure. Hinata and Naruto hadn't eliminated him, but he was no threat. Tsunade had taken things into her own hands and personally exterminated Orochimaru's living soul from his body. What an eerie thought. Orochimaru living on inside Kabuto…

Shizune's lips pursed at the thought. Currently, Kabuto would be sitting in a cell guarded frequently by two of Konoha's finest ANBU. Why was her mind still on the silver haired Sound-nin? Maybe it was yesterday…?

Flashback

Shizune was sitting in her office late again. The clock struck 11:00PM and a small bird popped out of the clock with a loud repetitive chirping. The black-haired woman looked up with an eye-twitch of annoyance. 'Damn. It's late. Tsunade-sama didn't even come to check on me.' With a sigh, she pushed her chair back and stood up, closing her giant medical book. Looking at the clock again, she rubbed the back of her neck. 'Might as well head home.'

That was the plan anyway. Once she'd set foot outside she shivered at the cold air and exhaled with a visible breath "How annoying. He's shaking." Shizune turned to the voice behind her. Outside, two men walked out, bearing ANBU uniforms. They were both looking back into the building they'd just exited with smirks. "He's in chains. There's no worries." The other man responded, tapping once on the door. "If we're lucky he'll die in the cold by tomorrow."

With that said, both men left. Interest piqued, Shizune's brows narrowed. 'How cruel. Who're they talking about?' The medic-nin made her way over to the cement walled building and looked in through the bars at the top of the door. Her breath escaped with a small gasp. Inside, a silver haired man was chained to a wall, bloody and shirtless. His body was shaking and his glasses were off on the floor beside him. 'Kabuto…' Without a second thought, Shizune forced the door open and her onyx eyes widened. Was it possible that it was even colder in here than outside? "Kabuto?" She spoke softly, unsure why she was even in here now.

'Because, no matter how bad of a person he is, no one deserves to suffer like this.' A voice in the back of her head reminded her. The man didn't look up, but his sharp breathing froze for a minute and his bangs covered his eyes and his head lifted just a centimeter. "It's okay…" Shizune added quickly. "I'm a… I'm not going to hurt you." Not really trusting her word, Kabutos black eyes flashed up at her dangerously, body tense in a protective state.

"Why should I trust you?" He growled out, unknowingly shaking again. Shizune closed her eyes and looked down. How could her own people be so cruel? Without another word she stepped further into the freezing room and kneeled. She took off her beige backpack that was haphazardly slung across her left shoulder and emptied it's contents. Out fell medical supplies and pills and gauzes of all different kinds. One main item fell out last; a large wool blanket. Kabuto shot her a questioning, yet longing look at she approached him slowly.

She showed him the blanket first in a; 'I'm not going to hurt you' gesture, and gently draped it around his stiff, broad shoulders. The second the wool hit his frozen flesh he sighed in relief and his head fell weakly against her shoulder. Shizune closed her eyes for a moment, contemplating pulling away- but decided not to. He was just so cold.

After quite some silence, Shizune's voice shook from the cold as well when she spoke out. "Ka-Kabuto…?" He didn't respond right away. His breathing was more even now, his body less cold. Slowly, he nodded against her shoulder in recognition that he'd heard her. She continued, "…They're not treating you well… are they…?" His head moved up slowly, eyes glowing with short-lived anger. Upon meeting her concerned gaze he sighed.

"No. And why should they?" His deep voice was laced with extreme sadness and some guilt. Shizune swallowed and absentmindedly rubbed her own arms.

"…Nobody… deserves this kind of treatment…" Her voice was so quiet. Almost like she was afraid of being caught. Kabuto raised an amused eyebrow at her and just managed to crack a smirk.

"Nobody… but me," The smirk was gone as quickly as it had arrived- a ghost of his old, alive self. He'd really gone to a new low just for Orochimaru. What was wrong with him? "Why are you even here? Aren't you Tsunade's assistant? She'll kill you if she knows you're here." Kabuto informed briefly, trying to change the subject.

Shizune looked behind herself quickly, almost like the Godaime would be standing right there, two hands upon her hips. She wasn't. Shizune exhaled in relief and turned back to Kabuto whose expression remained black; expecting an answer. "I heard… those men talking. They're jerks." She insulted them, gauging the reaction from Kabuto which hadn't changed even mildly. "…You really believe you deserve this…?"

He nodded slowly, giving Shizune a condescending look like; "Haven't you been paying attention?". She flushed slightly at her stupid question, but gave him a look asking for elaboration. He sighed, but answered. "I've killed so many… it's a wonder they didn't kill me the second they captured me. This is much worse… than being dead."

Shizune opened her mouth to speak, eyes shining in concern, but Kabuto went on. "But I do deserve it. I tortured their people… why not make me suffer? It's only fair." His eyes left her's to look down at the cold cement-gray floor. "I used to love being a Leaf Ninja. Now… that's so far out of reach it's not even funny." His bangs shielded his eyes again as he looked further down.

"…Are you lonely…?"

Kabuto's head snapped back up with painful speed. What was she getting at? Of course he felt lonely. To the point he even thought of just killing himself and ending the torture. Still, he smirked and shook his head yes. "Are you prepared to end my loneliness?"

Hearing the suggestiveness in his voice, Shizune blushed horribly. But inside, she really didn't think she'd mind. Kabuto was defiantly all but ugly. Now, without his glasses, even more so. "Perhaps," She responded evenly, blush fading. Kabuto raised a curious eyebrow and leaned back against her shoulder with a sharp exhale- akin to a sort of… dare she say… moan?

"Human contact," Kabuto breathed. "Nothing else in the world like it," Obviously, being locked up made you more than just a little isolated. And considering the sound… she doubted he ever got much human contact at all. Personally, she wouldn't have been able to stand it. Not hugging her friends, smiling, laughing, enjoying the freedoms life had to offer…

But she didn't enjoy those things, did she? Rarely. She swore (as did Tsunade) that she'd work herself frequently till the day she died. Noticing Shizune hadn't responded, Kabuto smirked against her shoulder. "Freaked out?"

"No." Came her immediate response. And it was true. She couldn't blame the poor guy. His head lifted back up and he moved his wrists irritably against the chains. His eyebrows narrowed, as if just remembering that he was bound.

"…You should probably go… don't want to be caught helping the enemy…" Kabuto spoke up quietly. Shizune watched him sadly, heart aching to help him. She had no idea what it must feel like. Didn't it get to him? The thoughts? They weren't going to let him go. Surely, they were harming him physically out of boredom and spite. Did he cry? Shizune doubted it. She just couldn't picture him crying. "…Will you return here…?" Kabuto added after Shizune didn't respond. His voice had some form of hope, even begging, to it.

Skeptical now, Shizune moved her arm away from the silver-haired man. Why should she return? Out of pity? No… out of empathy. She felt horrible for him. She could even feel tears in her eyes at the thought of the torture he endured thus far. Wordlessly, and without promise, she nodded and arose to her feet. As she re-packed her sack and slung it back around her shoulders, she looked back at the blanketed young man. She doubled back and bent back down to briefly place a kiss to his forehead. "I'll be here tomorrow. Same time. Promise."

A ghost of a smile lightened the man's features.

Flashback End

What had prompted such an outright act of affection? Shizune sighed at the memory. Already, empathy was turning to obsession. Her mind was constantly on the captive-man. She'd had fantasies… and the book she was reading today was actually Tsunade's documents on Kabuto and other captives. Her mentor's words were cruel. Basket-case, sound-asshole, waste of space and time. Shizune never knew just how strongly Tsunade felt about the Sound and Orochimaru's betrayal. Apparently, Orochimaru and Tsunade had a somewhat romantic past as teammates. Ew,

Drifting back to the present, Shizune looked up at the black, snow-falling sky with a sharp exhale. She'd skip the festival and wait until the clock struck 11:00PM again. Only, she was outside with no clock. But conveniently, Kabuto's building was right across from the bridge she was at. Looking down at the water, Shizune ran her fingers through her black hair in the form of a comb and smiled at her reflection. Perfect. Not a hair out of place. She was wearing a baby blue winter-kimono with orange carp-fish decorating it. She twirled, watching her sleeves spin with her. With it, she wore festive orange sandals that matched with the carp and a baby blue pin in her short hair. Why'd I even dress up?

For him. He'd be shocked.

Speak of the devil, out walked the two ANBU- Holding the wool blanket Shizune had given Kabuto. Her eyes dead-panned, her body frozen. "Wonder whose been sneaking visits," The ANBU spoke to his partner. His partner only grunted in response and glared down at the blanket. "Who would care about an ass like him?"

They both poofed away and Shizune sighed as she ran for the building. Wrenching the door open and just as quickly closing it, she held the handle tight, looking over her shoulder. Kabuto watched her was an amused expression. "So you saw, huh?" Kabuto spoke first in amusement.

Shizune opened her mouth to yell but was cut short at the sight of Kabuto. Red burns and scars colored his bare, pale and toned chest. Shizune's eyes widened and she ran as best she could in her kimono form to his side. "Kabuto-!" She chided in a soft whisper. "What'd you do?!"

"Oh, I fell." He returned with a sarcastic roll of his eyes. "No, actually, I took a knife when I was unbound and tried to cut my heart out. But when that didn't work I reached for the lighter and-…"

"This is NOT funny! Kabuto-!" Shizune cut him off, voice catching in her throat as she healed his wounds. "I know this may seem like a joke to you, but they really could've killed you if they wanted to."

"Gee, I didn't even notice. They let me go sometimes, though. It's quite nice." Never-ending sarcasm, huh? Two could play that game. Right as she opened her mouth to speak she felt Kabuto's eyes scanning her body. She blushed at the attention as she caught his eyes roaming appreciatively. "Kimono? For a festival? Get asked out, did you?" This wasn't a joke. If it was, Shizune didn't catch it.

"Actually, yes. By Genma, if you must know."

Kabuto's eyes narrowed disapprovingly. Whoever this Genma was, he already hated him. Shizune smirked at the reaction. Does he feel the way I do…?

"Great,"

He didn't mean it, of course.

Shizune smiled. "But I bypassed him for you." Kabuto didn't show it, but inside he nodded approvingly. The young woman moved back slightly upon finished healing his wounds.

What would happen next would freak Shizune out for good. Kabuto leaned foreword unexpectedly… and KISSED HER. Right on the lips. Slowly, she rose a hand to her lips when he pulled away.

…

"NANI?!"