Orochimaru had grown accustomed to sleeping alone. In the early morning hours, he was finding it strange, almost surreal, to have Kabuto's warm body pressing up against his own. The boy had rolled over to embrace him at some point in the night and he'd woken to the sound of his light breathing. If it hadn't been for the fact that Kabuto had done this in his sleep, he might have been tempted to push him away. He certainly hadn't invited this intimacy.

Yet, there was a serenity about Kabuto that seemed to affect his own mood.

He coiled his fingers around silver locks, stroking the medic's head softly. Oh, he knew Kabuto was anything but innocent, but asleep, he sure looked it. Even more so than when he was pretending it. Orochimaru was still surprised with the amount of tenderness that had been exhibited the night prior and he realized that Kabuto was still an enigma to him.

But that didn't matter.

Orochimaru felt safe with letting him see his vulnerable side. He cast a sad gaze down at the boy. It was still beyond Orochimaru why Kabuto would love a monster such as he. Another one of his delightful mysteries.

Delicate eyelashes fluttered across his chest and he felt an overwhelming urge to press him closer.

"You're beautiful," he murmured.

As he pet Kabuto's cheek, he heard a soft sigh of contentment.

"Kabuto, are you awake?"

No response. Orochimaru chuckled to himself. Kabuto was absolutely endearing. And he wondered if the medic had the slightest inkling of the effect he had over him. For all the time he had known him, Orochimaru had assumed that he was the strong one; the protector, the master, the saviour.

Yet it was Kabuto who had gotten him through the nightmare agony after his battle with The Third. Never once asking for anything in return, not even gratitude. For reasons that belonged only to him. He was amazing at keeping himself a secret. It only made Orochimaru respect him all the more.

Kabuto's love was entirely different than the blind need the other's had. Yes, Kabuto needed him, of that much he was sure, but it was not because he was so blind as to view him as a god. If he did, then he must also believe that gods could bleed. This was different...he was different. They were dependent on each other and he had taken the time to subtly show this to Orochimaru over the years. The snake lord had thought both of them to be devoid of the need for another. Until now.

Perhaps Kabuto, despite his youth, was far wiser than himself. He possessed an uncanny understanding far beyond his years. And while he knew the scant details of Kabuto's past, he had never bothered to delve much further. Whatever had made him into the person he was now was done and over with. Orochimaru was always more interested in what the future held.

All he cared about at this moment in time, was that Kabuto was with him. This peace was unlike anything he had felt. While he could never say it aloud, he was grateful that the boy had come into his life. He wouldn't have been even half of what he was without him. This belonging. What both had sought in vain for so long.

Orochimaru fought back bitter tears. In the silence, he knew he was surrendering his heart to the young man he held in his arms. The great Snake Lord, the third of the Legendary Sennin, the proud founder of the Sound Village, the demon traitor...had a heart after all.

"I love you too, Kabuto," he whispered.

If his words had been heard, Kabuto gave no signal other than to remain where he lay.

Author's Note: Yes the last 2 chapters are much shorter than the first. You can take each as three separate stories as you wish, a sort of trilogy. I thought it was fitting to break them into different chapters due to the change of perspectives and moods.