This is written for responding the Infantrum's Challenge: Seven Deadly Sins.

Forced Bonds follows this timeline:
present time: chapter 1 (ENVY) - ch.2 (GREED) - Interlude - ch.7 (WRATH)
flashback: chapter 3 (SLOTH) - ch.4 (LUST) - ch.5 (GLUTTONY) - ch.6 (PRIDE)

Disclaimer: as always, Masashi Kishimoto's. *sigh*

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FORCED BONDS

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a Naruto fanfiction

author: konohafled

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part 1 one 7 (+1) chapters

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(Kabuto)

The sun is rising. It's golden, like your eyes.

Soon enough your army of young shinobi will start their day, as I'll start mine. These young shinobis, what should I call them… your fan club? All they want is your blessing, your acknowledgement, your power, your this and that …and you. Are you that powerful? I know I've been asking this to myself a thousand time, even since the first time we met. And I know I've been answering this another thousand times. Yes, you are that powerful. Cause you made them that way. You tie them up, forcefully claim their bonds to this very underground organization of yours.

Why? Are they that precious to you?

They're just kids. Without you lending them your power, they're nothing. Without me feeding them our formula, they're just worthless rogue ninjas. Of course, without them, our experiments lack volunteered guinea pigs. Without us, they are worthless. I know it, you know it. But why do you need to force them to love you?

Oh yes. You need an army. You need disguises of you and me. You need them to fool anyone who chases you. You need martyrs to defend us. But you don't need their love, they are slaves for their lust of power. Why do you need to enslave them?

"Morning, Kabuto," a voice said. I don't need turn to recognize that voice, "Orochimaru is late, huh?"

That brat.

"You're early," I give him a fake smile, a smile whom everyone deserves from me. "And don't use that harsh tone to your sensei, Sasuke."

"I'll speak in any way I want." He looks straight into my face.

Since the first day he came to us he never tried to behave, not even once. I have to admit that I like that. At least, there's someone dares to be different. Unlike any Oto ninjas I knew, he never speaks any respect towards you. He's arrogant, just like you.

Day by day, he's getting to be more like you. He wanted more training, more jutsus to learn, and more power to earn. He's getting more and more lustful for ultimate power, just like you. And you love him even more.

"That old man is late. He's slow."

"That old man is your sensei."

I give him another fake smile, which makes me sick of him. "And he's right behind you."

He doesn't turn to see you. He keeps staring at me. What is he doing? Studying me?

"Do you need me here, Orochimaru-sama?"

You give me a quick look, then you look at that duck butt-haired boy again.

"Not today, Kabuto-kun."

That was your answer yesterday, and the other day. And the other day.

"Will you excuse me, Orochimaru-sama?"

Then I turn to leave, not caring to listen to your respond. I have works to do and, most importantly, urge to suppress my desire to kill…him. You know I never killed anyone just because I want to. I only kill if I need to. But this time, it's different. I want to kill him. But I can't do it. Cause you wouldn't let me. Cause you love him too much.

What makes him so precious? His pretty looks, his young body, his skill, his power… what? His bloodline ability? Of course I know the answer. I've been asking this to myself for too many times. If he weren't an Uchiha, would he be so special? I've seen that look before. It was the same way that you looked at that Kaguya boy, years ago. It was like saying, "You're mine. You're all mine in a way you'd never imagined in your wildest dreams."

But it was bearable, somehow. He was loyal to you, even adoring you. Unlike that Uchiha kid, he fought for you. He fought until the day he died. And I should bear the disgust over remembering the mission he was died for. Capturing Uchiha Sasuke. Capturing that arrogant bitch. He's your bitch now, isn't he?

Again, without his Sharingan, what makes him so precious? Again, without their young age, what makes them so special? Why did you give them cursed seal? Why didn't you give me? Was I not worthy enough? I even offered myself to be your container. Why did you refuse me? Was I not good enough? Was I not loyal enough?

I'm loyal to you. I've never been this loyal to anyone. Why don't you love me?

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(Orochimaru)

You left again. Earlier, this time. You didn't bother to adjust your glasses and looked at me. You just turned and walked away, leaving me with this spoiled child.

Of course I told you to leave. You would do nothing but weakening me. You would be a distraction. I would be focusing on you instead of on him. I would look incapable and losing his respect on me. And for that, my precious Kabuto, you'd be nothing but ruining my chance to take over his body.

Winning him was harder than I thought. But winning you is even harder. Many ninjas would come crawl to me, begging me. Many more would be knelt down on me by a little force of me. Even this cocky Uchiha kid was begging me for ultimate power. But you don't.

You're not even a half of my age. Yet, you have the power I've never seen in anyone before. All my life I only knew two kinds of person: enemy and subordinate. You're not any of them. You take orders from me, but you defy me. Even with a slight move of yours, I know you defy me.

You're the smartest, slickest and best spy I ever have. A genius chameleon-man. The most talented actor would look like a clumsy retard comparing to you. I often ask myself, why a clever man like you want to serve anyone else? You can recruit any men you like, destroy anything you want, and taking anything you please. You can be ruler of any hidden village you wish to live in. It would be easier for me too. I'd only have to kill you and restore your power for resurrection, later.

But you were Sasori's. And you chose to stay with me after I freed you. Missions after missions, you keep coming back to me. But really, are you coming back to me? You've lived in many places, taking many missions for many people, and using many of them not for those people who hired you. You've injured, killed and healed people… on whose account? You're unpredictable in many ways. No one can own you, not even me. Only Sasori could bid your brain to do what he wanted. I could remove his memory block on you, but could I have you?

I don't want to hold you near with my seal cursing technique. Neither do I want to copy what Sasori did to you. No. I do, but I can't.

You're not weak enough that you seek for ultimate power. You don't hate me enough that you want to kill me. Like I said, winning that Uchiha kid was easier. He wanted and hated. Those were more than enough for biting his neck, leaving my cursed seal on him forever. But you? You seem not wanting anything from me. You seem not thinking that I can give anything to you. I am one of legendary Sannin. I killed the Sandaime Hokage, my own teacher. I am the master of more than dozens of legal and forbidden jutsus. I must be the most powerful shinobi you've ever met. But you have one kind of power I haven't surpassed.

And I don't know what to do with it. Must I kill you or want you even more?

No one else realizes that very power of yours. No one can teach that technique. No one else can master that. No one else can have that power. The power of rejecting me.

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"That's enough for today," said the gold-eyed man.

"What? I'm not even sweating yet!" the younger man almost yelled.

"Go practice if you want, Sasuke-kun. Take your time, but I'm leaving."

The disgruntled younger man was about to speak, but the older man didn't bother to see him. He walked away, leaving him alone with ruins of their brutal training.

Sasuke watched the swaying hair locks of his teacher. As he grabbed the hilt of his Chokuto sword and pointed at him from a distance, he copied his teacher's hiss.

"Your time is coming, old man."

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- end of chapter ONE -

How was that? Please review…

I hope I can describe one of Deadly Sins committed by these two characters (Kabuto and Orochimaru. Sasuke is just a nuisance XD), especially Orochimaru. He's so evil that I can't dig more into his sinful mind (?)