Chapter 20
"Why didn't you and Mom stay together?"
Tetsuya walked across a mossy set of logs as he mindlessly shot question after question at his father. Being the son of a legendary sannin, the ideal bonding moment for the two was an afternoon of light training. Balance and coordination was a good start for the boy, even though he picked up on the skills just as quickly as his father had long ago.
Orochimaru bit the inside of his cheek. Even though he enjoyed basking in his son's attention, anxiety flooded his body when asked to speak about Saya. The man was blunt and honest, but he just couldn't bring himself to tell the truth about the two of them. Even so, it was unlikely the young boy would understand.
Sound ninja monitored the surrounding area out of sight, so Orochimaru took the opportunity to take a relaxing moment as he sat down at the base of a large three. His son played on the logs directly in his line of sight.
"It's both complicated and simple," Orochimaru finally answered. Because we were never together, his mind added. "We disagree on too many things. Your mother wanted a normal, quiet life that included a career and a family. Things are a bit different for a shinobi, especially myself."
Tetsuya frowned as he turned his back to his father to start another round across the logs. "Don't you want a family?"
"I never planned on it," Orochimaru admitted.
The boy stopped his balancing act as he turned and walked back to his father. There was clear sadness on his face. "But you do have a family."
Orochimaru crossed his arms as he stared up at the boy, almost smirking as he did so. He didn't need nor want a family. The discussion about love with Saya was still fresh in his mind. It both infuriated and terrified him, because he knew she was right. Sitting there, he also knew his son was right.
"I suppose things change," the man responded lightly, his eyes shifting away.
Tetsuya watched the man closely as he stepped down from the log. He joined his father and sat down opposite him. His saddened face had been replaced with one of both confusion and uneasiness. What he didn't know what that his father was trying to hide those feelings himself.
"I did like you told me and asked Mom. She said she loves Akira. Doesn't she love you?"
Orochimaru almost laughed. He wasn't sure anymore as to how Saya felt about him, but he was certain it wasn't love. Instead of answering, he asked a question of his own; similar to one he had asked Saya. "Would you rather have her love me instead of Akira?"
The boy's young serpentine eyes squinted. "So, she doesn't," he said to himself.
A silent moment passed between the two. Orochimaru watched as his son struggled with the thoughts and questions running through his head. No doubt his young mind was overwhelmed.
"Mom told me Akira wasn't my dad," he finally said, "but I always felt like he was. He was all we had. Is that why?"
Raising an eyebrow, Orochimaru responded quickly. "I offered your mother the option to stay. Instead, she chose to leave. She left in the middle of the night with Akira, leaving me no knowledge of where I could find her. I wasn't there because she wanted it that way."
As he finished, Orochimaru and Tetsuya alike were surprised to hear the bitterness in his voice. The boy was quick to point it out.
"You didn't want her to leave."
It wasn't a question, but Orochimaru answered anyway. "No," he whispered.
Now scowling at himself, the man watched as a slow smiled spread across his son's face. "You should tell her. Maybe this time she won't leave."
As his scowl slowly faded, Orochimaru unfolded his arms as he chuckled at his son. "I may just do that," he said cryptically. His eyes trailed away from Tetsuya as they stared into the forest. A thought ran through his mind then, one that would once again put him ahead of Saya.
With a trace of a grin still on his face, Orochimaru suddenly turned his back to his son and motioned for him to come forward. "Climb on."
Even though a grin of his own formed, Tetsuya reluctantly did what his father asked. Akira had allowed him to ride on his back many times, but the discussion with his father about being too trusting was already making an impact on him. Still, his grin turned into a smile as Orochimaru secured his arms and legs.
"Hold on tight," Orochimaru told him.
In two bounding leaps, the sannin jumped from the fallen logs to a branch of the three they had been sitting under. He gave Tetsuya only a moment to adjust before he began a speedy journey through the trees; his feet never missing a step.
Tetsuya peeked over his father's shoulder as he ran along the branches, but he couldn't help but shut them tight each time they landed on a new one. Orochimaru could feel his small body jarring and held both of his hands in his.
Even though his mother had let him all but become an expert at climbing trees, Tetsuya was given a glimpse of a scene his eyes had never set on before. As Orochimaru began to ascend higher into the treetops, he saw nothing but full, flowering trees.
It wasn't until they reached a clearing at the top of a hill that Orochimaru brought them to a stop. Instead of bending down to let Tetsuya slide off, he reached around to pull him into his arms before carefully settling them both down to sit.
"That was amazing," Tetsuya breathed each word with a pause. He shared a grin with his father before staring out over the clearing.
"Do you see those hills?" Orochimaru asked as he pointed to a distant purple spot on the horizon. Tetsuya craned his neck forward and nodded. "The Sound Village extends to and well beyond them. In fact, just on the other side is my main home.
"It could be you and your mother's as well," he added after a pause.
The two shared and locked eyes once more. Orochimaru watched as he could see Tetsuya's mind working once again. He knew what he meant; that in order for them to truly be a family and for the Sound Village to be their home, Akira had to be pushed aside. However, the boy couldn't help but ask.
"What about Akira?"
Orochimaru uttered a self-satisfied laugh. "Tetsuya, image receiving a pet and having it only for a short time, but one you grew quite fond of during your time together. Now, imagine if a friend stole that pet from you, leaving you thinking you would never see it again. Then one day that friend decides to let you see your long lost pet, but still calls it his and will only let you play with it when he allows you. Does that sound fair?"
Hurt and confusion painted the young face. "Not really. But I thought Mom left because she wanted to?"
The man closed his eyes. He's as quick as I was, Orochimaru thought. "She did, but it was sudden. Akira was able to convince her more than I was about what path she should take."
"So, you're saying Akira stole her from you?"
The man chuckled once again. In a sense, he had. He knew Saya had left mainly by her own accord, but afterward, Akira had stolen her. Even though her intrigue for him was still there, Akira became the man in her life, and it was apparent that it wasn't going to be easy to change. If not for him, Orochimaru knew he would still be her main interest, even though their relationship was completely different.
"Your mother left quite an impression on me. I was disappointed to see her go."
Tetsuya breathed deeply. "Are you going to fight over her?"
Orochimaru smirked just enough to flash one of his fangs. "We're all mature adults; there's no reason for things to escalate that far."
The boy cocked his head and examined this man that was his father. Orochimaru suspected he knew something wasn't right about the situation, but it was all too easy for him to slither around the truth without actually lying.
"I'm sure this is confusing for you," Orochimaru told him. "Saya's quite confused herself."
Nodding in agreement, Tetsuya added, "She's been acting weird since we got here. Like she doesn't want me around."
Orochimaru stood, making sure the boy had a steady seat before he did so. "There has been much to discuss, including this very topic. She didn't want you to overhear and worry. You mother loves you very much, anyone can see that."
Tetsuya stared once again over the countryside. "I think I'd like living here," he whispered. "But out here in the open. I think Mom would like that, too."
The man clenched his jaw knowing that wasn't a possibility. If Saya could be swayed and Akira erased from the picture, there were so many more hurdles for the lord to jump over to truly have Saya all to himself. And now there was this boy to cater to…was it possible that Kabuto was right?
"We should head back." Orochimaru couldn't help himself as his voice was strained. He was beginning to understand how Saya's mind felt: overworked. "Your mother's probably starting to worry."
Orochimaru kneeled down as the boy agreed. He hugged his father's neck and torso even more tightly as they began to jump from the treetops. Tetsuya was also very tense.
"If you feel the need to share our talk with her, go ahead," Orochimaru called as the air whipped by them. "I'd like to know what she thinks."
Tetsuya nodded against his back. "You should tell her, too. She may like you more, but I don't think she'll like being called a pet."
A rare genuine laugh escaped Orochimaru's mouth. It instantly rubbed off on Tetsuya, who started to giggle at both the comment and his father's laugh. And it was why he didn't take it seriously when Orochimaru told him, "She is my pet."
The pair made their way back to the compound in a lighter mood, but the tense discussion stayed very fresh in their minds. Orochimaru questioned himself over and over until they finally returned and found Saya waiting at the entrance above ground.
Saya scooped her son up with a smile a kiss on the top of his head. She even smiled at Orochimaru, even though it was only because she was happy to have her son back. The man stared as he watched the two interact as they all went below ground.
He was right about Saya; it was obvious she loved Tetsuya very much. Not simply because he was her son, but because of who he was. And who he was was half of the man's own self. Saya could have resented the boy for that, but instead she embraced it. She had every right to hide that Orochimaru was his real father, he knew that, but she wanted him in Tetsuya's life.
And hers, his thoughts added.
Orochimaru's lungs became tight as he and Saya found themselves alone together after Tetsuya was put down for a quick nap. He had followed her to her small bedroom across from his, answering question after question as Saya inquired about their day. His answers were short and simple, as he wasn't really paying attention to her words.
"Was it that bad?" Saya asked as she caught on.
"Not at all," Orochimaru chimed. He closed his eyes as he tried to suppress a smirk. "He reminds me a great deal of the both of us. He's just as persistent and complicated as you are."
Saya folded her arms with a smirk of her own. "I would hardly say
I'm the one he got his persistence from. Which leaves me to ask, how else he like you?"
"Curious, especially about his future." Orochimaru paused as he stepped closer to Saya. "As am I. You do realize that finally meeting his father and being ripped away from him for who knows how long isn't going to be healthy for him."
Saya backed up a step, but her eyes bore into his. "If you're doing what I think you are," she started in a low whisper. "Do you really think you can use Tetsuya as a pawn, as a guilt trip to get my mind to change? And I thought we weren't going to talk about this anymore."
Orochimaru smirked as he continued to move closer to her. Once Saya was flat against the wall, he raised a hand to the spot beside her head, trapping her there. "I never said we were."
Saya sighed as she gazed up at the man. "You have a funny way of showing it."
Their bodies were almost pressed together, along with their faces. Orochimaru briefly let his eyes travel to Saya's lips, and as much as he wanted them against his own, the only thing he claimed was her eyes. However, he was surprised as Saya closed her eyes and slowly stroked their noses together.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. She didn't give Orochimaru time to respond before she continued. "I know this isn't how you want to spend the rest of our time together. You wanted this week to give you more time to convince me, however so, to stay. Am I right?"
Saya opened her eyes to a silent Orochimaru. A slow blink was his only response.
"Don't think I haven't thought about what's going to happen after this week is over, or even last week. I honestly don't know how to handle it. But one thing that hasn't changed is that I love someone else, and even though I know he would be better off away from someone who's such a mess, I can't in good conscience leave him for you. But even so, although you're the same terrible person, I see you trying."
"Why are you telling me this?" the man asked with an edge to his voice.
Biting her lip as her wet eyes stared up at him, Saya snapped. "Because I would have stayed, dammit. If you hadn't cursed me and if Akira hadn't hold me it was a leash you were putting on me, I would still be here. You were so close to breaking me, even after you bit me, but after he told me the truth about it, that was when I decided to leave."
Despite the abrupt admission he thought he would never hear, Orochimaru almost laughed. "You're telling me this is my own fault?"
"I am, and it is," Saya said through gritted teeth. "I know you were sick and angry when it happened, but that night you screwed it all up."
Orochimaru pressed himself that much closer to her and leaned toward her ear. "The one who screwed it all up was the man who let you come back to me. And rest assured that this time I will leave you too sore to be able to slip away with him. Although, something tells me you would like that."
Angry at the humor in his voice, Saya tried to push the man away. "You have to be the biggest prick I've ever met," she breathed.
"But the most handsome prick you've ever met." Orochimaru chuckled as Saya let her mouth hang open, too angry to find her words. He had their son to thank for that. His hand slid away from the wall as he finally stepped away from the woman.
As he started to leave, Orochimaru stood and watched the woman. Her breath was heavy and face flustered. Just like old times, he though.
"Call me what you will, Saya, but it still isn't a 'no'."
