Kuro: Snakes and Crows

Chapter 8: Kuro Listens

Orochimaru's POV

I trained alone after the argument, trying to get rid of my anger. I doubted that anyone would be able to find me. I didn't really want to blow someone's head off. Well, Matsuko might be able to find me but, for some reason, I didn't mind the thought of her finding me. She was the only one that had defended me during the argument and I wasn't sure how to take that. It wasn't that I wasn't grateful to the girl. I just didn't know if I deserved to be protected.

I sat down and took a deep breath, finally allowing myself to sort out my thoughts. I hadn't realized just how important being in Konoha had become to me until people started to throw around the threat of banishment. I wanted to stay and have a place to call home. I wanted to prove to everyone that I was someone who could be trusted. I wanted to prove that I wanted to make up for what I have done in the past. I might not be able to but I was going to try.

That brought me to my next thoughts. I felt a tremendous guilt for what I had done in the past. I had taken such pleasure in those terrible experiments and now I knew they were very, very wrong. I had tried to shove those memories away so hard that I had managed many of them, though I was unable to get rid of the knowledge. I felt much younger than I was for that and for the guilt that I hadn't felt since I was a child. Sometimes, though, memories would come back to haunt me in my dreams and I would wake up sweating and heaving, emptying my stomach many times over.

I covered my face with one arm. What was worse was I didn't want to get close to anyone. I was afraid they would hate me, mock me, abandon me, or try to kill me. I pushed people for more than that reason, though. I was afraid on rubbing off on innocents like Matsuko. I didn't want her to see what I had done. I didn't want to see hate or hurt in those dark green eyes.

And yet, I couldn't help but try to get close to her, to draw her in because she drew me. Her smile, her laugh, that cheerful laughter, the way she talked about her sister, the fact that her favorite color was purple, all of it drew me in and I didn't want to resist. I wanted someone who would know about me and love me all the same. Someone who wasn't from a different world or Itachi. Someone I could be with.

Kuro suddenly strode into view and I could hear someone coming behind him. They were light on their feet and seemed to know their way. Matsuko stepped out from behind a tree with a shy smile.

"Hi, Oro," she said to me and I truly wished my name really was Oro. I loved how she said the name. "I....Ummm Kuro and I decided to come looking for you. I wanted to make sure you were okay after what happened earlier."

I smiled at her, trying to show her that she was very welcome. "Please, sit down. I'm really.....glad that you came to find me."

Matsuko nodded and sat down. I licked suddenly dry lips. I wondered if I should tell this girl my secrets now. I knew it would be better if she heard it from me. I decided against it, though. I wanted her to see me as I have changed to be and know me for that rather than the stories of Orochimaru.

"You know," Matsuko said quietly, "I did some research on Orochimaru. I'm glad you managed to get out of there in time. Not many survive."

I winced and she fell silent.

"I've always wanted to come to Konoha," Matsuko said suddenly and I looked at her, glad she wasn't pursuing the Orochimaru comment. "The last time I was here was when I was about four years old."

"How come?" I asked, confused. The Uchiha murders hadn't been that far back and her clan left because of them.

"My clan had some enemies. Powerful ones," Matsuko sighed. "We had too much power. Our....ability made us dangerous."