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They burst through the entrance in great haste, Orochimaru drags Sasuke further along the corridor, deep into the safety of the cave. It's not gentle, the way Orochimaru's fist seizes his students collar and Sasuke stumbles often. Cold darkness surrounds them and by now any light from the surface is gone.
The lack of sight should scarce Sasuke, but instead he is relieved. Their persecutors won't venture this far into enemy territory, if they find access at all.
When Orochimaru finally stops running, the relevance takes a while to occur to Sasuke.
It means they are safe.
A desperate tension abandons Sasuke. Shuttering he leans against the cold stone. His breath is going heavy.
"This was close," he whispers.
Mostly to himself, but his Sensei must have heard him. Maybe he even detected the panicked edge in his voice.
"Don't worry, Sasuke," Orochimaru says. "They will never find us here."
Sasuke isn't fond of assurance, but he doesn't turn away, when the hand on his collar changes into a solid touch on his neck. A thumb strikes over the back of his head and Sasuke slowly relaxed. Touches from Orochimaru don't happen on a regular basis, but when they do they are always justified. Like now, after a hunt that looked dire for the longest time.
Thankfully Orochimaru never says anything, just waits until Sasuke has regained his composure.
Silence stretches between them, but waiting together is comfortable. Both listen to news from above until vibrations originating from footsteps above the ground are fading.
"Okay, they are gone," Orochimaru tells Sasuke, whose senses are keener as long as it doesn't involve eyesight.
Slowly hissing, Sasuke becomes aware of his injuries. Most he ignored, when he was running for his life.
"I will have a look at that," Orochimaru promises and pale fingers prod against Sasuke's rips. "After you have eaten. I intent so limit the number of possibilities you could come to harm under and passing out from hunger or drowning in the shower, is certainly among them right now."
Sasuke puts up only a little protest, when he is pushed down the corridor. As long as he can, his gaze is fixed on Orochimaru's sleeve. It's ruined and it will be thrown away soon, but for now there's enough blood on it to remind Sasuke that Orochimaru killed a large number of people to safe Sasuke's life.
For a few moments Sasuke's thoughts linger on his other teacher, his former one. He scoffs.
Kakashi would have never done same for him.

promise_to_urself Thu 14 Jul 2016 09:51AM UTC
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