Bound to You (Naruto)

Chapter Twenty Four

Jiraiya stared at the beautiful girl in awe, "Do you love him?"

"I do."

"Even though you're his prisoner?"

"I'm not a prisoner." Tsuki tensed as she sensed Orochimaru's presence approaching. She cast out her senses and silently willed her feelings to him praying he'd stay back. His approach halted and she breathed a sigh of relief, he'd picked up on her feelings.

"When you were in the leaf village, Inoichi saw-."

"Something he misunderstood. Orochimaru-sama saved me from that vile man. I was only in that cell because he thought it would keep me safe..." Tsuki faltered as she sensed him approaching again, her colorless gaze flit in his direction and she felt her breath hitch in her throat as she saw the pale man with the lethal golden green eyes and the long silken black as night hair. "Orochimaru-sama?"

Those lethal eyes narrowed into a glare as they fell on the white-haired man sitting next to the starlight queen. "Tsuki, are you alright?" He asked her keeping his voice level and calm. He'd sensed her anxiousness and brief moment of fear. Being in Jiraiya's presence brought back unpleasant memories for her.

Jiraiya stared at his old friend in awe. He'd changed since they'd last met. Though Jiraiya was sure Orochimaru had used some kind of body transfer jutsu, it was impossible to tell, it was as if his host body was slowly transitioning and contorting back to his original form, was he even aware of it himself? Was it an affect of the Towa girl? He also appeared younger, was his link with the girl revitalizing and rejuvenating him, returning him to the state of his prime? She made him stronger than ever before, with her Towa bloodline feeding him strength and vitality he'd soon be completely unstoppable.

Tsuki nodded.

"What did you want, Jiraiya? After your last visit, I'm not feeling too hospitable." Orochimaru said coolly. He extended his hand toward the girl, "Come, Tsuki."

Tsuki looked to Jiraiya curiously wondering if he'd dare try to stop her. He made no move to do so and she slipped from her perch gracefully and vanished from sight, appearing at Orochimaru's side in the next moment. Jiraiya watched the pair in awe, they were like night and day, darkness and light, heaven and hell. Tsuki was purity and light, Orochimaru was corruption and darkness and together they were blinding. He couldn't look away from them as the starlight girl slipped her hand in Orochimaru's hand before standing on tiptoe to whisper something in his ear. His heart skipped a beat as a small smile crossed Orochimaru's lips, a real genuine smile, not one of his sinister lethal smiles.

"I know." Orochimaru said softly as he placed his free hand atop the girl's head affectionately before streaming his fingers through her moonbeam hair and bending forward to place a kiss atop her head causing her pale cheeks to flush scarlet. "Stay behind me." He released the girl from his hold and smirked as she let out a cute squeak and scrambled to get behind him lightly clinging to the back of his shirt. His lethal golden green gaze flicked back to the tree ensnaring Jiraiya with a terrifying look. "What do you want?"

Jiraiya shook his head, he couldn't believe what he'd just witnessed; Orochimaru was capable of love and affection, he truly cared for the girl. "I merely wanted to talk." He held his hands up for peace as he abandoned his perch.

"About?"

"I'm sure you know by now, we're looking into the Akatsuki...can you tell me anything about them?" He wasn't so sure his old friend would help him, but something had changed within him something that made him capable of love and affection, perhaps it also gave him compassion for others; maybe, just maybe, they could be allies again.

A man stepped out of the forest and joined Jiraiya. Tsuki tensed, she recognized the masked man with the silvery white hair, he was one of the leaf shinobi who'd captured her. The one they called Kakashi, the copy ninja.

Orochimaru contemplated the possibilities, if he revealed the information he knew about the Akatsuki it could help the Hidden Leaf Village and hopefully they'd be able to take care of some of them. The more Akatsuki members he could have removed without having to lift a finger, the better but the information could also be used as leverage if needed at a later time to obtain anything he desired. He looked to the moonlit girl behind him. "I'll leave it up to Tsuki."

Her colorless eyes widened, "Why?" She asked him with a squeak as Jiraiya and Kakashi looked to her.

"You have a friend there and Jiraiya did threaten you, so I'll leave it in your hands to decide." Orochimaru shrugged.

"What you know, could help Sakura?" She asked softly.

"Perhaps." Orochimaru shrugged.

"Then...please tell them..."

"Very well. I'll tell you what I know of the Akatsuki...on one condition." Orochimaru smirked causing the two leaf shinobi to tense.

"What's that?" Jiraiya asked warily.

"Stay away from Tsuki." Orochimaru shot the hidden leaf shinobi a glare that made their blood run cold. In that moment, it became painfully obvious to Jiraiya that if anyone ever targeted the girl, their life would be forfeit. 

Video- "Don't Go" By Bring Me The Horizon Ft. LIGHTS